Dear Patient
For some time now, the press has been reporting on the conflict between independent doctors and insurers. This conflict stems from a FINMA directive requiring both parties to provide greater transparency in billing for private fees, both for medical procedures and hospitalisation.
This is, in fact, good news.
However, insurers have used this opportunity to push for lower medical fees, attempting to impose flat-rate billing rather than fee-per-service billing, as is typically applied for hospital care in standard wards under LaMal (commonly referred to as “basic insurance”).
Supplementary insurance, however, ensures that patients can choose the doctor who will manage their care from start to finish, providing personalised attention, including in cases of complications, emergencies, nights, or weekends. Fee-per-service payment, a core component of semi-private or private ward arrangements, recognises and rewards this personalised, continuous care.
Since the beginning of the year, some insurers have reimbursed amounts significantly lower than the fees charged to patients receiving care from independent doctors. The result: some patients who have contributed to their insurance for years may no longer be able to access the services to which they are entitled.
Professional organisations, such as the Société Vaudoise de Médecine (SVM) and the Association des Médecins du Canton de Genève (AMGe), are currently working to find solutions to this crisis, which strongly affects patients.
In the meantime, discuss your situation openly with your doctor, who can advise on the best course of action for you:
- Postpone care, if non-urgent or elective
- Contact your insurer (some are more flexible than others)
- Arrange a payment plan while the situation is being resolved
Do not forgo care for financial reasons: there is always a solution, and your health must remain the priority.
For further information, here are some useful links:
Vaud doctors denounce abandonment of private patients” (Blick, 02.04.25) | Société Vaudoise de Médecine (SVM)
AMGe: Association des Médecins du Canton de Genève
Yours sincerely,
PD Dr Med Marco V. Corniola