New here on the forum as user but a long time read of it. I also spent so much time on this folder of the forum as this last few months I had to go through multiple health checkups.
Did you notice as well the fact the swiss healthcare is not transparent as well? I had super hard time to get quotes and prices before taking exams. It felt more like a flipper instead of a series of choices.
Was the experience similar also for you? I tend to care about prices of exams, especially as at the beginning is me that pays. However doesn't seems to be common sentiment talking to the doctors. Are they right from your experience?
I'm not surprised that you've had an usual experience, but then again people don't go around second guessing their doctors or pricing what the doctors recommend.
People make a decision on who much they want to cover personally on an annual basis and when they are sick and need multiple tests and exams they are more concerned about finding out what is wrong with them and their recovery. They know the max the are going to cover themselves and leave it at that.
I see your points, make sense from one side but I'm not sure how much is beneficial. I think having more transparency would be beneficial to everyone, wouldn't it?
Knowing practices' prices, maybe how they change between different cantons would be probably ideal in my opinion. Would be also interesting to see how prices have changed over time, just out of curiosity.
The required services that must be provided for basic health cover is defined and insurance companies compete on the cost of covering that total package and individuals decide on the slice of the their annual costs they wish to finance personally. So beyond your curiosity, the only ones interested in prices are the insurance companies who have to actually pay for the medicines. That is why you don't hear people talking about the price of actual meds you hear them talking about the price of cover.
Don’t get if. If your doc recommends a blood test and then tells you it will cost 200 CHF - what do you do? This is governed by the Basic Insurance law and likely to cost the same more or less everywhere. Medicine prices are negotiated mainly by the bag, not by single medical practices or hospital. So it’s all going to be pretty much the same.
The question could be whether you want the test or not if you feel it’s not needed but I am hoping you are not deciding that on the price?
You have a good point. Part of the discussion going on in Switzerland about health costs is concerned with transparency and the differences in charges paid both within and between Cantons. But I think you are expecting too much from your doctors for them to be hugely concerned with this when their main job is to treat you. Be happy that you are, in general, getting first class treatment for a very reasonable price in comparison with most other countries.
I fully agree, I don't think I would seek the cheapest price or let money decide my health treatment. I was just suprised by the fact the whole process was totally not transparent and I had many doctor shocked by the fact I was asking how the procedure will be and what would be the price associated to that.
I guess, as you guys mention, the only interested players in the prices are health insurances and curious people.
The majority probably doesn't care about prices. I thought instead there were many more people interested in knowing how much they are going to pay for their procedures.
But why would they care, it is not the price they will pay? The first step is the EMA approval process and that includes an assessment indicating if the drug or procedure is less than, equal to or better than what is currently on the market. The next step is that prices are negotiating at a regional or national level and this information is shared. So when the prices are negotiating the state individuals involved have a very good understanding about the quality of the product plus what is going on in the market.
And when it comes to the consumer/citizen they are only concerned about what it will cost them in terms of taxes and premiums or a combination of both. That is what hits their pocket.
You are not concerned about the costs or components that go into all the other goods and services you consume, you are only interested in your out of pocket costs. So why would people be any different about healthcare.
It is much more complicated than that. There are goods and services. AFAIK, the service prices are given by a band which allows for some variation, however the prices for goods are often totally non-transparent and can vary hugely.
It is, but pharmacists are pushing their luck. They already have a monopoly on Aspirins - and every other medication available in supermarkets in other countries.
A few years ago they introduced a CHF5 for “advice”. Apparently you can dispute this, and a case where you are simply picking a prescription would seem a good example...