My question is about the scope of coverage for inpatient (stationär, hospital stay) treatment in the US for the basic and a proposed supplemental policy.
Background: I gave notice to cancel the Hospital Flex part of my supplemental coverage from Helsana. As part of trying to hang on to a bit of the revenue they will lose from this cancellation, Helsana proposes that I take Hospital Eco. I visit the USA every 1-2 years and my goal is to avoid being crazy out-of-pocket if I am unlucky enough to need US hospital treatment. I live in ZH canton
Comparison of coverage:
Basic: up to 2x ZH tariff
Hospital Eco: up to CHF 500/day for 60 days
What is Hospital Eco covering that is not already covered by the basic policy?
Both will be in no way sufficient if you ever have to go to hospital in the US. I have a separate travel insurance for the US.
IIRC, there is something in my insurance (CSS) that limits coverage for an emergency in the US to twice the standard Swiss costs - which, as Roegner says, is no where near enough to cover an emergency hospitalization in the US.
(My one datapoint: Some years ago I was wavering about having surgery done in CH vs the US. Cost quoted in the US for a patient without US insurance: ca 100K. Cost under the KK in Switzerland: 4K. Yes, that's an apples to oranges comparison, because a person with US insurance would not pay that much. But as a 'health tourist' with insurance from abroad, you'd likely get hit with the full 100K.)
My husband has a special supplementary insurance that pays the full cost of treatment in the US, through his employer. It only kicks in if he is in the US on business, though. This was taken out twenty some years ago - no idea if similar policies are still offered. He asked about continuing that policy after retirement - no dice.
tlðr: Read the Hospital Eco policy mice type carefully!
Treatment costs in the USA are another reason to join REGA
https://www.rega.ch/en/questions-and-answers
They will be of help getting back to Switzerland, which is probably cheaper than having treatment in the USA unless you have a really good travel insurance.
REGA will only repatriate if they are of the opinion that adequate medical care is not available. In the US the care is likely always available, albeit expensive particularly for non-residents.
If you travel to the US, have supplementary insurance +REGA.
When I search for Reiseversicherung and Zusatzversicherung, I find travel insurance that covers trip cancellation, lost baggage, a car, help hotlines etc. but not necessarily medical costs. Were you able to find a policy the covers the medical costs beyond what basic insurance covers, without all the other stuff, much of which I don't feel a need for.
I have one through my company but check with TCS, they might have something.
I have travel insurance with Alliance that includes medical top-up costs abroad plus other stuff that your health insurance wouldn’t cover. https://www.allianz-travel.ch/en_CH/…caArNoEALw_wcB
Options are:
- Get a health insurance that has (unlimited) coverage for travel costs. E.g. Visana offers a travel insurance for trips up to 8 weeks as part of its basic top up insurance, and additional insurance coverage for longer trips as a separate insurance.
- If you are employed check what your accident insurance would cover abroad in case of an accident.
- Get a separate travel insurance which tops up your health insurance.
- Check whether your credit card include travel insurance (and what the requirements are that the trip is included in coverage).
Swica has a supplement that fully covers you in case of an health emergency in the USA.
Since Rega not an insurance, they're not bound to provide any help at all. They attempt to do so if they have resources available and try to allocate them according to most urgent and serious need. In effect, Rega decides on a case-by-case basis.
This means that even when repatriation seems essential, they may not be able to organise it, and vice versa, even when medical treatment is possible in the country of the emergency, Rega may still choose repatriation if the doctors involved consider this a better option for the patient.
Definitely join Rega, because when they can help, they do. But also definitely this: