It became clear that medically prescribed services only have to be covered to a small extent (insurance deductible and patient contribution) by those affected. However, all services that were not prescribed by a doctor, i.e. uncovered nursing and non-nursing services, must be covered in full if there is no corresponding supplementary insurance.
For many, if not most, of those affected, these uncovered costs are a huge financial burden. However, there are support and financing options for uncovered services for both outpatient and inpatient care. This blog post and the two that follow will explain the options available and exactly how they work.
Private assets and income are used first
Basically, benefits are financed by drawing individually from these 2 broad areas:
- All private assets and corresponding income
- State support & cost sharing or assumption by the public sector
First of all, of course, the personal financial situation is examined more closely for such costs and private assets are used. These include, among other things
- Your AHV pension
- Your pension fund benefits
- Your third pillar
- Your saved assets
In the case of private assets, it should be noted that anything above a certain allowance is also considered income and will be taken into account accordingly. As mentioned above and in the last blog post, there are suitable supplementary insurance policies for long-term care. However, these should be taken out as early as possible, as the premiums are relatively high and increase in proportion to age. You should also pay close attention to the scope of benefits and seek comprehensive advice in good time. We also offer a free and non-binding initial consultation and support you with bureaucratic matters relating to insurance and financing:
What state support is available?
Support from the public sector is divided into various financing tools depending on the situation:
- Supplementary benefits (EL)
- helplessness allowance
- Assistance contribution
- Care credit
- Compensation for loss of earnings
- Social welfare
Supplementary benefits
What are supplementary benefits?
Supplementary benefits are insurance benefits from the Swiss social security system which, unlike social assistance, do not have to be paid back. Relatives of those affected cannot be asked to pay for these benefits either. The legal basis for this is the Federal Constitution, according to which the AHV and IV pensions must provide a minimum subsistence level. These benefits are paid by the cantons.
Supplementary benefits are divided into 2 categories:
- Annual benefits, paid monthly
In simple terms, you are paid the difference between your recognized expenses and your qualifying income.
- Reimbursement of additional costs due to illness and disability
These contributions are repaid when corresponding costs are incurred, e.g. for dental treatment or aids.
Who is entitled to supplementary benefits and when
Thanks to the Federal Constitution, all persons resident in Switzerland who receive one of the following pensions are legally entitled to supplementary benefits if they are unable to finance their minimum subsistence level independently:
- A pension from the old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV) or disability insurance (IV)
- A helplessness allowance from the IV (from the age of 18)
- Receipt of daily allowances from the IV for at least 6 months
- A widow's, widower's or orphan's pension
Citizens of non-EU or EFTA states who are resident in Switzerland also receive supplementary benefits, provided they have lived in Switzerland for a certain period of time: 5 years for nationals of non-EU & EFTA states with an international treaty or refugees and 10 years for nationals of states without an international treaty.
Unfortunately, the number of people who are dependent on supplementary benefits is constantly increasing. Almost 50% of all IV pensioners and around 12% of all AHV recipients receive supplementary benefits.
How do I find out whether I am entitled to supplementary benefits?
You can use the official calculation tool for supplementary benefits to answer a questionnaire to find out whether your expenses are higher than your income and whether you can (and of course should) make a claim:
However, supplementary benefits are only one of the various state support options. Thanks to the good social safety net in Switzerland, a minimum subsistence level is legally guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, even in the case of high care costs. We will present the other state support tools mentioned in detail in the next two blog posts.
We will be happy to answer your questions!
In our free and non-binding initial consultation, we will work with you to clarify your individual situation and the options for professional, friendly and affordable care for you or your relatives. We will also be happy to help you overcome the bureaucratic hurdles -just get in touch with us:
