 | | | 
27.11.2020, 16:22
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baselland
Posts: 12,708
Groaned at 202 Times in 179 Posts
Thanked 18,346 Times in 7,487 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | Quote: | |  | | | So basically this is either total ineptitude, or fraud by charging for the same thing to two payers.  | | | | | I'd suspect the former. It wouldn't be the first time someone has been charged because the bill sender didn't know the rules. | Quote: | |  | | | As for the corona test. I thought it worked like a normal doctor visit i.e. the costs go to the insurance and the insurance get the money from BAG. | | | | | Correct. The service providers submit the invoice, specifying the ZSR number/GLN number, to the insurer responsible (health insurer, Military Insurance), or to the Common Institution.
From here.
| 
27.11.2020, 16:22
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: LaCote
Posts: 620
Groaned at 6 Times in 6 Posts
Thanked 1,025 Times in 405 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | 
28.11.2020, 09:50
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Ostschweiz
Posts: 8,152
Groaned at 385 Times in 293 Posts
Thanked 10,586 Times in 5,588 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced?
This is at least abusive and needs to be stopped immediately, the tone of the email clearly tries to intimidate you as threatens additional costs if you talk back.
I wouldn't bother dealing with them or the health insurance, the latter may not care because the BAG will shoulder the cost, so they may see it as not their problem. Instead I'd inform the supervising body. For the Permanence Oerlikon that's the Gesundheitsamt Zürich, I'd use the Covid Hotline (phone 0800 33 66 55) to get info on how to proceed, certainly English will be fine. Otherwise inform the BAG directly.
Make sure you have valid reason for the test to be paid by the BAG. If you're lacking another recognised reason you can always claim to have had contact with an infected person.
| The following 2 users would like to thank Urs Max for this useful post: | | 
28.11.2020, 09:57
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Rapperswil
Posts: 3,034
Groaned at 50 Times in 47 Posts
Thanked 3,591 Times in 1,638 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | Quote: | |  | | | Make sure you have valid reason for the test to be paid by the BAG. If you're lacking another recognised reason you can always claim to have had contact with an infected person. | | | | | That's the easiest part - OP was told to get a test by contact tracing.
| This user would like to thank newtoswitz for this useful post: | | 
28.11.2020, 10:52
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Zentralschweiz
Posts: 98
Groaned at 3 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 239 Times in 65 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced?
This is very typical of the Permanence business-strategy. I’ll leave it at that. I’m glad you are holding them accountable.
| This user would like to thank Capetownian for this useful post: | | 
28.11.2020, 14:14
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,503
Groaned at 14 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 1,174 Times in 622 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | Quote: | |  | | | This is very typical of the Permanence business-strategy. I’ll leave it at that. I’m glad you are holding them accountable. | | | | | Yes this. Be sure to add you refuse any costs charged for answering your email unless they are prepared for these costs to go 2 ways. That sentence irked me more than the rest as exchanging emails with clients is just part of doing business!
| This user would like to thank kri for this useful post: | | 
29.11.2020, 01:04
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Ostschweiz
Posts: 8,152
Groaned at 385 Times in 293 Posts
Thanked 10,586 Times in 5,588 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | Quote: | |  | | | That's the easiest part - OP was told to get a test by contact tracing. | | | | | I realised that upon rereading OP's posts, but I had already posted, and it may not apply to someone else in a similar situation. So I left it there.
| 
05.12.2020, 11:52
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Roaming urban landscapes
Posts: 19
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts
| | Charged by Hausarzt for Coronavirus test. Is this correct?
Hi,
My partner and I had infections with flu-like symptoms, last month, and following the recommendation from the BAG's website, went together to get a Covid-19 test at our Hausarzt (following an appointment, first visit there, we recently moved area in Canton Zurich), which fortunately was negative for Covid.
We've just received several bills (50CHF each for various Pauscahle-related to taking the test), and another (96.60CHF for "Notfall-Inkonvenienzpauschale" "Konsultation" "Kleine Untersuchung") and various things.
The charges are not massive, and I have a lot of sympathy with medical professionals who have been exposing themselves to a lot of risk in the past year.
Nevertheless, I was under the impression the Swiss government was covering the costs for Covid-19 people who met various criteria (which we clearly met).
Does anyone know if this is in ordnung? Is it because we went to our Hausarzt rather than a screening center?
I found this website about costs online, but I'm still confused.
| 
05.12.2020, 11:57
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Rapperswil
Posts: 3,034
Groaned at 50 Times in 47 Posts
Thanked 3,591 Times in 1,638 Posts
| | Re: Charged by Hausarzt for Coronavirus test. Is this correct?
The parts related to the test should be free, but parts related to a separate consultation not.
Why is it marked as an emergency - was it out of hours or did you ask for an emergency appointment?
| This user would like to thank newtoswitz for this useful post: | | 
05.12.2020, 11:57
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: ZH
Posts: 7,347
Groaned at 73 Times in 59 Posts
Thanked 10,845 Times in 4,401 Posts
| | Re: Charged by Hausarzt for Coronavirus test. Is this correct?
Here's a very recent thread about the same question. https://www.englishforum.ch/family-m...ct-traced.html | This user would like to thank doropfiz for this useful post: | | 
05.12.2020, 12:03
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Roaming urban landscapes
Posts: 19
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts
| | | Quote: | |  | | | The parts related to the test should be free, but parts related to a separate consultation not.
Why is it marked as an emergency - was it out of hours or did you ask for an emergency appointment? | | | | | Thanks. We just rang them Friday morning describing the situation, and asked for a test. They offered us an appointment Friday afternoon.
I've also found this document from the Swiss government that states: | Quote: |  | | | Service providers may not charge persons tested or the insurers any further costs (such as night and public holiday surcharges) for analysis for Sars-CoV-2 and associated medical services | | | | |
Last edited by roegner; 05.12.2020 at 12:14.
Reason: Merging consecutive posts
| 
05.12.2020, 12:22
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zurich
Posts: 388
Groaned at 75 Times in 58 Posts
Thanked 1,402 Times in 568 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced?
Thanks for the responses, a lot of useful info there. After talking to the BAG I replied using the official Permanence email again that I did not agree to any charges to query the bill and that the BAG said all costs were covered. I didn't get any response. | Quote: | |  | | | ...
As for the corona test. I thought it worked like a normal doctor visit i.e. the costs go to the insurance and the insurance get the money from BAG. If you have a provider where you have to pay upfront, like Assura, then you have to pay yourself, submit the claim like usual then the insurance will refund it. It's not unusual for doctor's bills to have a lot of 'padding'. | | | | | I think this might be it, the only cause for doubt is the rechnung doesn't mention a PCR test, only the 'holding the door open first 5 minutes, use of chair first 5 minutes' padding I see a lot. I contacted Assura, still waiting to hear back, 6 days they said. Also the filthy covid-ridden friend who exposed me went to the same place for his post-quarantine test and didn't get sent a bill which might indicate it's provider specific.
I find this rampant padding of Drs bills here very wearing, I wonder how many years per year they charge. Next time I'm tempted to time the appt and close with 'right that's 5 minutes, I don't want to see a bill for half an hour'
__________________
Yes that's exactly right, the first rule is "Tell absolutely EVERYBODY about sarcasm club."
| The following 2 users would like to thank reids for this useful post: | | 
05.12.2020, 12:25
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zurich
Posts: 388
Groaned at 75 Times in 58 Posts
Thanked 1,402 Times in 568 Posts
| | Re: Charged by Hausarzt for Coronavirus test. Is this correct? | Quote: | |  | | | ...
We've just received several bills (50CHF each for various Pauscahle-related to taking the test), and another (96.60CHF for "Notfall-Inkonvenienzpauschale" "Konsultation" "Kleine Untersuchung") and various things.
... | | | | | I've had the emergency appointment padding added, I called them up and said I didn't ask for an emergency appointment not did I need one and they sent an updated marginally less padded bill.
| The following 3 users would like to thank reids for this useful post: | | 
05.12.2020, 12:38
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Neuchâtel
Posts: 12,034
Groaned at 198 Times in 175 Posts
Thanked 19,278 Times in 8,016 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for the responses, a lot of useful info there. After talking to the BAG I replied using the official Permanence email again that I did not agree to any charges to query the bill and that the BAG said all costs were covered. I didn't get any response.
I think this might be it, the only cause for doubt is the rechnung doesn't mention a PCR test, only the 'holding the door open first 5 minutes, use of chair first 5 minutes' padding I see a lot. I contacted Assura, still waiting to hear back, 6 days they said. Also the filthy covid-ridden friend who exposed me went to the same place for his post-quarantine test and didn't get sent a bill which might indicate it's provider specific.
I find this rampant padding of Drs bills here very wearing, I wonder how many years per year they charge. Next time I'm tempted to time the appt and close with 'right that's 5 minutes, I don't want to see a bill for half an hour' | | | | | I think that’s your answer. You are insured with assura and doctors don’t send bills directly to them, they send them to the patient and the patient has to get reimbursed by the insurer.
Assura will then have to get reimbursed by the BAG assuming that the practice have used the correct billing codes.
| 
05.12.2020, 12:52
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Basel
Posts: 2,030
Groaned at 48 Times in 39 Posts
Thanked 1,217 Times in 731 Posts
| | Re: Charged by Hausarzt for Coronavirus test. Is this correct?
From the aforementioned thread, but the emergency fee probably is not deductible-free. Ask for it to be removed from the invoice.
I go to an 'emergency walk-in centre' - medix toujours - and often get hit with a "hausartzliche leistungen' surcharge. Well, this is Switzerland!
Tests from June 25th will be taken over by the federal government without deducting any deductible or self-pay. The reimbursement is made by the health insurance, which then bills the federal government for the costs. The invoices for coronavirus tests will be sent directly to your health insurance company. If you should still receive an invoice, the procedure for the reimbursement remains the same: You send the entire invoice to the health insurance company, which then takes care of the reimbursement. The costs for the test are only covered if the symptoms are recognized and if the test is carried out by a doctor / hospital recognized under the KVG or a test center provided by the canton. Recognized symptoms: muscle pain, fever, sensation of fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, sudden loss of the sense of smell or taste, cough (dry, irritating cough). Less common: conjunctivitis, headache, runny nose, indigestion.
| The following 3 users would like to thank Landers for this useful post: | | 
05.12.2020, 14:45
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Zürich
Posts: 7,935
Groaned at 337 Times in 228 Posts
Thanked 11,178 Times in 3,873 Posts
| | Re: Charged by Hausarzt for Coronavirus test. Is this correct? | This user would like to thank AbFab for this useful post: | | 
07.12.2020, 01:15
| Junior Member | | Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Luzern
Posts: 76
Groaned at 7 Times in 6 Posts
Thanked 39 Times in 20 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced?
That's not the case for my girlfriend. She has insurance with Assura. Went to her Hausarzt two months ago for Covid test as she experienced suspected symptoms after coming back from Rome. The nurse didn't request her insurance details as the nurse said it will be covered by the BAG. Test came out negative. No cost has incurred to her.
| The following 2 users would like to thank altobarn for this useful post: | | 
11.12.2020, 14:39
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zurich
Posts: 388
Groaned at 75 Times in 58 Posts
Thanked 1,402 Times in 568 Posts
| | Re: Charged for a Covid test sure contact traced? | Quote: | |  | | | I think that’s your answer. You are insured with assura and doctors don’t send bills directly to them, they send them to the patient and the patient has to get reimbursed by the insurer.
Assura will then have to get reimbursed by the BAG assuming that the practice have used the correct billing codes. | | | | | Update to this, Assura got back to me today, they had already received invoices for the test, for CHF106 and CHF50, so this CHF132 bill direct from Permanence Oerlikon continues to be a mystery, that would make the total charge for a Covid test CHF288 which is ridiculous. I need to press for an answer from Permance Oerlikon that the bill is cancelled. Not sure what is best if they insist it is payable.
| This user would like to thank reids for this useful post: | |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 17:16. | |