Hello, my wife and I are British citizens receiving UK state pensions and other private pensions. We have received B permits. The UK authorities say that an S1 Certificate entitles us to the same level of NHS care in Switzerland as we would enjoy in the UK. Does anyone have experience with claiming for treatment and medicine in Switzerland using the S1 cover?
2 specific questions-
1 at 75 the NHS prescribes statins for everybody. These are free. Would this be the case in Switzerland?
Getting to see a GP in the UK is difficult due to under-capacity. We understand it is much easier
in Switzerland. Do we simply register with a Swiss GP, pay him or her for a consultation and then claim from someone?
Welcome.
Statins are not free and similar to visits to the GP you can claim that from your insurance. Please note that there will be a deductible (lowest is 350 CHF I think) so you will need to pay that first.
Some GP´s send the invoice directly to the insurer who then will reclaim from you if you have not reached your deductible.
JackieH used to be an expert on the S1 insurance. I know it is different to the normal Swiss health insurance. I can’t be sure, but I think you have to pay something, I’m not sure the British government cover all costs (might be wrong).
Costs aside, It gives you the same services as a Swiss person in Switzerland, not the same services as a British person in the UK.
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The costs are the same as basic insurance for anyone. They have the minimum 300chf deductible and the 10% copay up to a maximum of 700chf per year, everything else is covered by the UK.
The coverage is also the same as any other person insured by Swiss health insurance so there will be no free statins although the cost will be reimbursed (minus the 10%) once the deductible has been reached.
There are a lot of hoops to jump through to get the S1 form, especially since Brexit. The best thing to do is to contact the offices in Olten.
Where’s Odile when she’s needed? She was the expert on it.
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Edit - beaten by BelgianMum
Apparently…:
- the first 300 Swiss francs towards your treatment per year - this is the ‘deductible’ or ‘franchise’ and can be higher or lower depending on your insurance premium
- 10% of your treatment costs over the deductible, up to a maximum of 700 Swiss francs (or 350 Swiss francs if you’re under 18 years old)
- a daily fee if you stay in hospital - this is around 15 Swiss francs
Healthcare for UK nationals living in Switzerland - GOV.UK
Given the cost of Swiss healthcare, I’m sure the UK NHS will hate anyone taking advantage of this over here!
Be aware that there are parts of Switzerland where it is no longer possible to register with a GP and it has been this way for over 10 years. Due to a shortage for doctors and a change in the insurance law well over 10 years ago. In my area it’s the case and those who can’t find a doctor have to attend a GP outpatient clinic at the local hospital.
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We have a similar situation in my area; simply not enough GPs. When my GP retired, it took me ages to find a practice that was open to new patients.
But there is a ‘fix’ that seems to be growing out this way.. We have several ‘Permanence’ walk-in clinics where one can go if one does not have a GP. There is one in the local shopping mall near me, for instance. In larger cities you may find one at the main train station. Although primarily a sort of ‘first aid’ clinic, these tend to offer standard GP services. Many of these clinics have extended hours, btw.
Emphasis on the importance in finding a GP or GP-like solution is because - again, out my way - many specialists will not see a patient without a GP referral.
This has nothing to do with insurance type, it often applies even if you have ‘traditional’ insurance that allows you see a specialist without prior referral. Rather, the limitation is there in order to manage workload.
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In Winterthur there is a GP practice associated with Permanence and you can even book an appointment online.
I like the Notfall service separate from the GP practice - it‘s been really helpful for my kitchen related injuries. (I once bamixed my thumb and another time I sliced a chunk of my finger with a new knife. Good service).
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Many thanks to all of you who replied. My first time on this site. High quality
But this link is for the opposite move, people using a Swiss S1 to move to the EU. The OP asked about using an S1 issued by the UK in Switzerland.
The link is to the organisation in Olfen where you have to register your UK issued S1 form when you move to Switzerland in order to be exempt from taking out Swiss health insurance.
I thought you had Swiss health insurance, but the premium is covered by the UK. Is that not correct? Otherwise who receives all your medical bills and charges you the 10% etc?
I believe it’s all done via the office in Olten.