With a number of hospitals in Germany being closed, an increasing number of people from that country are seeking medical treatment in Swiss health facilities.

This phenomenon is especially visible in hospitals located in border cantons like Basel, Aargau and Schaffhausen, where thousands of patients from Germany are being treated for a variety of health problems.

The highest numbers are recorded in maternity wards; in some Swiss clinics, for instance, 40 percent of women giving birth come from Germany.

A question that may come up right now is: are foreign nationals  allowed to seek medical treatment in Switzerland and if so, under what conditions?

That depends on several factors:

Residents

If you are a foreigner who lives in Switzerland with a B, L, or C permit, you are obligated to purchase a Swiss health insurance policy which covers you for medical treatment and prescribed medication in your canton of residence.

You can get an exemption from taking on Swiss health insurance if:

• You are retired and get a pension exclusively in an EU or EFTA state
• You are a cross-border worker with healthcare policy in a EU or EFTA state
• You are a foreign student and have comparable insurance from your country
• You work for international organisations or are a diplomat

Tourists

If you hail from the EU or EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein), your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will cover you, free of charge, for medical emergencies — just as a Swiss tourist would be within the European Union / EFTA. This also applies to non-EU citizens who are resident in EU countries and are registered in the local healthcare system.

Keep in mind though that Switzerland has very specific rules about what constitutes a true medical emergency, as explained here: What are Switzerland’s guidelines for health emergencies?

The EHIC will also cover you if you need to seek treatment in Switzerland for medical conditions that require immediate attention but are not life-threatening — for instance, if you come down with an illness which requires a prescription for medications that can’t be postponed until your return to your country.

It will not cover the cost of repatriation back to your home country.

Visitors to Switzerland are advised to take out travel insurance that will cover the costs which EHIC will not.

What if you are a tourist from a third country who needs medical help while visiting Switzerland?

In this case, you will have to pay for the treatment you receive right away with your credit card, and then seek reimbursement either from your health insurance in your country or from your personal health or travel insurance.

Alternatively, you can purchase a ‘visitor’ plan from a number of Swiss insurance companies that will cover you for the duration of your stay. But here too you will have to pay for your treatment right away and then file a claim with the insurance carrier, including documents, such as the medical report and proof of payment. 

What about non-emergency treatment?

This brings us to the aforementioned German patients who come to be treated in Swiss hospitals.

In non-urgent situations, such as elective surgeries or giving birth for instance,  the EHIC is not sufficient.

To receive treatment in a Swiss hospital, foreign nationals must either have a Swiss health insurance or have supplementary coverage that would cover them for treatment abroad.

Without this supplementary coverage, European patients should ask health providers in their countries whether treatment in Switzerland would be covered.