Policyholders will benefit from greater flexibility. During the year, they will be able to opt for a more advantageous model such as a family doctor, HMO or initial advice by telephone within their own health insurance.
It will also be possible to change your health insurance model during the year, to benefit from a more advantageous alternative option. The Federal Council set Wednesday the entry into force of the corresponding ordinance on 1is January 2025.
Currently, policyholders who can freely choose their providers (free choice of doctor) and their deductible have the possibility of changing insurance for a model with a limited choice of providers (alternative model) only at the end of the year.
From now on, policyholders will benefit from greater flexibility, indicates the government in a press release. During the year, they will be able to opt for a more advantageous model such as a family doctor, HMO or initial advice by telephone within their own health insurance.
On the other hand, joining another insurer during the year is still not possible, nor is it possible to switch from one alternative model to another with the same insurer. The modification is aimed in particular at policyholders whose financial means have evolved and who are seeking to reduce the cost of their premiums.
Laboratory analyzes
Two other provisions will come into force on January 1. One concerns the billing of laboratory analyses. In the future, when packages negotiated by pricing partners for certain outpatient treatments exist, laboratory analyzes must be included in these packages and no longer billed separately.
Another change concerns communication between insurers and the cantons. It aims to oblige insurers to communicate to the cantons the amount of compensation payments in the event of a voluntary reduction of reserves.
These provisions implement the first part of the health cost control program.
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