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.
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.
Last modification 26.08.2019
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Health and Accident Insurance Directorate
Tariffs and Principles Division
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
3003
Bern
Switzerland
Tel.
+41 58 462 37 23