Emergencies & Accidents | Doctors & Dentists | Hospitals & Clinics | Drugs & Medicines | Counseling Excellent medical care is available throughout Switzerland. The physicians and dentists often speak English and are normally equipped with modern facilities. Doctors are listed in telephone directories under "Aerzte" followed by their speciality. General practitioners or family doctors are listed under "Allgemeine Medizin". Dentists are listed under "Zahnärzte". In addition, Complementary medicine, particularly homeopathy (listed under "Homöopathie”) is popular in Switzerland. It used to be the rule that your family doctor refers you to a specialist. Nowadays it depends on your individual health insurance and you are basically free to make an appointment directly with, for example an eye specialist, gynecologist or orthopedic surgeon. Although, there could be a long waiting list for an appointment with a specialist and your general practitioner may be able to get you an earlier appointment. However, if you wish to see a complementary medical practitioner (e.g. acupuncture or chiropractor), you must usually be referred by your doctor, if your Swiss health insurance is to pay all or part of the cost. The tariffs of doctors are regulated by the Swiss medical tariff commission. Dentists are not covered by Swiss health insurance and it is therefore customary after examination to ask for an estimate for the work to be done. Medical bills must include precise details of treatment and are to be paid by the patient before they are forwarded to the health insurance for refund. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside of the United States (this serves as an example, as the same typically applies also to other countries). Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proven to be useful. Check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas. Useful medical information is provided by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. In Switzerland basic health insurance has been compulsory for every individual person with the exception of foreign diplomats and employees of international organizations. Every resident (including foreigners) must obtain health insurance within three months of his/her arrival in Switzerland and babies must be insured within three months of their birth. Foreigners may apply for exemption if their home country insurance coverage proves to be comparable. Some large companies have their own health insurance schemes offering advantageous conditions and reduced premiums for employees and their families. Swiss health insurance only covers the cost for recovery and not for loss of income. Health insurance in Switzerland can be taken out with a health fund or a private health insurance company. Health funds of which there are over 300 in Switzerland are of the mutual benefit type. They try to exert some control over doctor’s and hospital fees and are the cheapest form of health insurance in Switzerland. All companies must offer basic coverage on an identical basis, as prescribed by law, which includes treatment by doctors, chiropractors, mid-wives and certain other practitioners (e.g. physiotherapists) when treatment is approved by a doctor, medication and hospitalization in a general ward and emergency treatment abroad. Basic health insurance will pay for treatment in a private clinic only when similar treatment isn’t available locally in a general hospital or if the private clinic is on a specific governmental approval list for the treatment in question. A private health insurance scheme usually includes half-private or private hospital coverage as standard and may include medical services and medicines that aren’t covered by the basic health insurance as prescribed by law. It is also possible to take out an international worldwide health insurance policy, which may be of particular interest to people living in Switzerland temporarily. Address List Emergency Doctors Emergencies & Accidents | Doctors & Dentists | Hospitals & Clinics | Drugs & Medicines | Counseling Home |