Thank you!
When I am sick, I go to my family doctor. If I cannot work, he will give me a "Aerztliches Zeugnis" (I translate it into medical certificate for absence) and ask me 10 CHF cash for it. Is it normal here in Switzerland to "buy" medical certificate with 10 CHF from the doctor? He tells me this is not covered by insurance.
No. Most people make their own with coloured crayons and glue.
If you're sick often enough, you can soon recoup the cost of the materials.
No idea what is the rule. I only needed one once and got that in the mail and did not check the invoice if there was an extra amount for that.
I think it's a charge that many larger group practices (like Santemed Gesundheitszentrum) apply. Probably because they want to make sure people are really sick when they are asking for one. At Santemed you only pay once (also in cash) for every "reason" meaning that if you get one for a week first and can't go back to work already after that week you don't have to pay again for further certificates. Hope that helps.
Only 10 chufs - suck it up ...... it cost me 80 chuffies for my periodic medical for my drivers licence.
Although, as a matter of course, all medical receipts are always sent to my insurers - we can but try.
Ask your insurance company to pay for it, see what they say.
I think I paid more than this yes it is usual, basically a paperwork processing fee.
I've never been charged for the sick note. But if I've been ill enough to be off work, then I've gone for treatment at the same time... which cost a lot more than 10chf.
Exactly, a doctor should NOT give you a medical certificate without examining you first. How can s/he establish you are unable to work without examining you- and decide how long to give you. Unless it is a chronic illness with regular recurrence- and even then.
Actually, many GPs here will issue a certificate on the basis of a telephone conversation. They simply write on the certificate that it's based on a phone call, and the employer has the choice to accept it or not. (But the employer has that choice anyway, even if the certificate is based on a personal examination.)
As long as people act in good faith and employers will accept it in good faith, it strikes me as an excellent way to relieve the pressure on GPs' appointment books (as you know, chronically all too full) and also to keep contagiously ill people out of waiting rooms.
When I've got a stomach bug, I know I've got a stomach bug, and I also know what to do for it (rest, drink fluids, wait a few days). This way the doctor doesn't have to rearrange his schedule or stay late for a consultation we both know is medically unnecessary, and all the other patients in his waiting room don't have to be exposed to my bug.
A sickly, hypochondriac colleague of my wife has a hotline to her doctor, which she uses when there's too much work on, and lo and behold, the next day she has a certificate in the post.
If the employer feels something is fishy, they can always send her (at their cost) to a doctor of their choice to get a second opinion. This doctor isn't allowed to communicate details of the diagnosis, he can only confirm or dispute the validity of the first doctor's certificate.
So yes, I don't doubt there are people who abuse the system, but if it's that blatant I guess I question why her employer continues to put up with it. She must be a very valuable team member when she's not being ill.
Agreed MN- in such cases. Key is a relationship based on trust between GP and patient plus common sense. Unfortunately in our area, as said above by Timow, there is a couple of doctors who give medical certificates for no reason at all- and all employers know who they are- they can even guess in advance the reason, duration and the medication given!
So why are the employers putting up with it - any idea?
Not sure- not easy to prove I suppose and their 'professionalism' should not be questionned? Will discuss when I get a chance to.
Those who do get medical certificates just that little too often for vague illnesses may well find themselves the first on the list- when 'trimming'is required.
On the contrary, it should be very easy to prove as outlined above. Unless other doctors are covering for these guys when asked to serve as second opinion?
Second opinion is only asked for long-term illness- not coughs and colds, tummy bugs, headaches, etc.
The trouble with this is, employers can demand, and have the right, to send you to their doctor for a 2nd opinion. The employer won't know the results or outcome, but the company doctor may decide very differently from the first doctor, who would then have some explaining to do to the medical council.
Not quite as easy as it appears, there are safeguards in the system, but it still happens as TiMow says
Some people work their way up to a managerial position, without being management material.
As long as the department runs and the work gets done, then they don't like to rock the boat - and in true Swiss tradition- upset anyone.
...... and the sad thing is the person concerned is quite a sickly person, so it wouldn't be worth them trying to prove otherwise.
It's put up with and tolerated because this person has many years service and has attained a certain level, and it would be nye on impossible to do anything about it.
Surely if they get the same people repeatedly submitting potentially 'dodgy' medical certificates even for trivial illnesses it would be worthwhile getting a second opinion. If they did it once or twice it would probably make people think twice about 'faking it' for a while at least.
Our GP doesn't charge for issuing a medical certificate as I guess it's considered part of the consultation fee but when my OH needed an extension to his certificate recently ( should have taken doc's advice and had the whole week off in the first place) there was a fee added to the bill ( a 5 min consultation fee) which was reimbursed by the insurance as it was on the same bill as the original consultation.