Wondering if anyone has a word of advice in regards to how my wife and I can get an appointment moving forward.
We moved to Switzerland last year and my wife had an assessment and MRI done in December as issued by a university hospital (not some small individual specialist) after she started having chronic pains. Back then, they reassured us that healthcare would cover this.
Since then, we've been waiting for a follow-up appointment to plan out her surgery with the doctor, but the hospital for 2 months has told us that it is stuck with "cost approval" and they will do everything in their power to move this forward.
Last week, we called our healthcare and they told us that they can't see any "cost approval" pending from their side. We are annoyed because we do not know how to move this forward at this point. We called the hospital again and confronted them, and they said they will check again but are certain the cost approval request was made.
Any ideas? My wife's in distress from pain, having to wait and our inability to plan out our year since we do not know when the surgery will happen and what the recovery time will be.
We specifically asked the healthcare for an email address and provided it to the hospital. They claimed this is where they emailed but will check again.
This is weird. Only time I've visited the hospital in CH it was a emergency surgery and it was scheduled 1 day after getting there. Doc filled out all the forms for insurance and everything went smooth.
As roegner mentioned, check if the hospital sent the documents to the right health insurance (krankenkasse).
Also, I think you bought your health insurance from a small office in the city/town you live. So, contact your local insurance seller for further advice.
In Switzerland, patients have a right to all the information in their medical record. Your wife can ask the hospital, in writing, for a copy of her full medical record, including all tests, scans, examinations, reports and also all correspondence, including electronic. When she receives it, she will be able to see to whom the hospital has written.
It might be quicker for her to simply ask the hospital to forward her a copy of the mail or letter they wrote to the medical insurance company.
As a general tip: things still, even in 2023, sometimes move faster if you write a physical paper letter than a mail.
If you do use mail, then write to everyone in the same mail and specify that you are doing so: the treating doctor the department secretary the medical insurance contact person the general mail address of the company, etc.
In all correspondence, specify the patient's full name date of birth medical insurance company name and membership number if you have one, the name and mail address and phone number of a contact person in the medical insurance company