Die Emergency practice of general practitioners in Sursee was founded 13 years ago: Located in the local hospital, it offered walk-in care from Monday to Friday after 6 p.m. and on weekends between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The reason lies in a Federal Court ruling from last June: According to this, permanent practices are not automatically allowed to charge higher rates outside of normal office hours. The urgency inconvenience flat rate was created for cases in which a GP has to carry out a special, short-term assignment outside of his practice hours, the Supreme Court ruled. But not for companies that offer something like this as a standard.
«Without proper financing…»
The ruling also paved the way for health insurance companies to reclaim excess payments received in recent years.
The emergency practice in Sursee previously charged surcharges for all treatments – an average of 85 francs. Several health insurance companies are now demanding reimbursement of the costs for the inconvenience surcharges.
“Without appropriate financing, however, no business with the appropriate specialist staff and infrastructure can be operated economically and sensibly outside of regular practice opening hours,” explains Notfallpraxis Sursee AG about its closure.
The staff – 13 medical assistants and 43 doctors – will be laid off in September.
