The advantages of the health insurance card include greater efficiency in the insurer’s invoicing process and improved levels of quality and safety in medical treatment. In future, the card can be used as identification to access electronic patient records.
The health insurance card used as a billing instrument
Insurers issue the health insurance card at the beginning of the year.
The health insurance card displays visual data and contains data stored on a chip. Service providers can use this information for billing purposes. They can also use the health insurance card to access the insurance company’s online processing system to check whether administrative data is up-to-date. If need be, they can also obtain additional information, such as the term of validity of the card, the insured person’s address, other forms of insurance and supplementary insurance. This simplifies the billing process between the insurer and the service provider.
Storing medical data on the health insurance card
All insured persons can arrange for their doctor, dentist or chiropractor to store their personal or medical data on their health insurance card. This information can be useful during doctor’s visit and may even save lives in an emergency.
Using the health insurance card as identification to access electronic patient records
With the introduction of the new Federal Act of 19 June 2015 on the Electronic Patient Record (EPRO, SR 816.1), it will be possible to use the health insurance card as identification to process data in electronic patient records.
Last modification 17.09.2018
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Health and Accident Insurance Directorate
Health Insurance Benefits Division
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
3003
Berne
Switzerland
Tel.
+41 58 462 21 11