Covering treatment by medical auxiliaries

October 2022

Auxiliary medical care encompasses a vast range of services, and the rules governing how it is covered frequently give rise to questions from members. Below is a non-exhaustive list of the medical auxiliaries most frequently covered by the CHIS, for most members, provided that you have a medical prescription.

  • Nurse
  • Physiotherapist / osteopath
  • Occupational therapist
  • Midwife
  • Speech–language therapist
  • Dietician
  • Orthoptist
  • Psychologist
  • Podiatrist / medical pedicure (subject to certain conditions and prior approval)

Whenever long-term treatment is concerned, the UNIQA manager is authorised to examine the effectiveness of the care, drawing on the expertise of UNIQA's advising doctors. In certain situations, members may request authorisation to exceptionally exceed the ceiling for medical auxiliary expenses, which is set at CHF 3 300 per year. (Voluntary members with reduced or short-term cover are not entitled to reimbursements for auxiliary medical care).

Physiotherapist / nurse / occupational therapist / speech–language therapist / orthoptist
These providers must hold a recognised national qualification and be certified by the relevant national body in the country in which they practise. Provided that it has been prescribed by a doctor, such treatment is covered by the CHIS in any country, subject to similar conditions as those applied to treatment administered in France and Switzerland.

Osteopath
Sessions with an osteopath are covered by the CHIS if the provider is certified in the country in which they practise:

  • In Switzerland, this means being on the National Register of Healthcare Professions, NAREG.
  • In France, this means being registered with the regional health department (ARS) and having a number issued by the national social security system’s ADELI directory.

Psychologist
Sessions with a psychologist are covered by the CHIS if they have been prescribed by your doctor and if the provider is certified in the country in which they practise:

The medical prescription must indicate either the treatment length (not exceeding one year) or a specific number of sessions. The CHIS annual ceiling for treatment by a psychologist is CHF 25 000 for children under the age of 18.

Dietician
Sessions with a dietician are covered by the CHIS if they have been prescribed by your doctor (in Switzerland, in line with the prescription template of the Swiss Association of Dieticians (ASDD)), if the condition requiring treatment appears on the list of conditions covered by the CHIS and if the provider is certified in the country in which they practise:

  • In Switzerland, this means being on the NAREG.
  • In France, this means being registered with the ARS and having an ADELI number.

Alternative therapies
Alternative therapies have been surging in popularity in recent years, particularly in Switzerland. New clinics keep appearing in the Geneva region, offering a range of therapy options.
Most alternative therapies are not covered by social health insurance in Switzerland or in France, which is why the CHIS does not cover them either.
To avoid the inconvenience of a reimbursement refusal, we urge you to check with UNIQA if the therapist you have in mind is covered before seeking treatment.

If in doubt, and before commencing treatment, the best course of action is always to contact UNIQA to find out what conditions apply to medical auxiliaries who do not appear on the list above.

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