Hi,

I'm currently unemployed and sicked off working for medical reasons. I am being given social aid with my living costs and have also applied for assistance with health costs, but I'm a bit confused how this works.

The information I have says that this refers to "la loi d'application vaudoise du 25 ju8in 1996 de la loi fédéerale sur l'assurance-maladie (LVLAMal)"

So does anyone know how this works?

I have been told not to pay this month's insurance premium but it comes out of my account on a direct debit and I can't cancel it and I have recieved no official confirmation that I am getting this assistance, and I don't want to end up not covered because no-one paid the premium.

Then what happens with medical bills? I'm with Assura, and at the moment I'm still sending all the bills to them. Do I still do that? I have been paying 10% of all my bills but the medical costs lately have been so huge I think I must have gone over that barrier to where they cover the lot.

The thing that is worrying me the most is that my medication costs so much. A month's supply sets me back over 500 CHF. Plus I have been prescribed several other 'one off' medications which have not been cheap. Because I am on social aid I am on a very limited income and today I had to ask the pharmacist for a bill for a prescription because I do not have enough money to pay for it. Very embarrassing - and worrying because I need this stuff to get better and what do I do if they refuse to bill me?

I'm very confused and wishing I was back in England when my prescription pre-payment card solved all these worries...

Any help or advice gratefully recieved.