Disclaimer: there are no medical issues at stake. This is purely hypothetical, to get to know the medical costs.

Suppose I have to visit the emergencies at a local public hospital (e.g., the CHUV), as I have (hypothetically) a pain in the chest and I want to see a cardiologist. What would be a typical cost for a simple visit without X-rays, admission to hospital, etc?

I would just like to know the order of magnitude of the costs incurred by a simple visit (say, 20 min). Is it in the order of 100 CHF? 500 CHF? 1'000 CHF?

Difficult to say. Depends on who sees you (specialist or a junior doctor) and billing is based on time.
Just for reference I visited CHUV for a quick check on a back spasm. It lasted about 15-20 min, and the final bill if I remember correctly was about CHF 200-250.

Ambulance ride alone will easily cost several hundreds to thousand. And you're expected to pay 50% even long after you've reached your insurance franchise. Better keep Über on your phone

That is impossible to answer. For example, chest pain, they would probably do tests such as an ECG, echocardiogram etc. Injuries may need some sort of imaging. If you need no tests, then it's unlikely an emergency and you should go and see your GP which will probably cost a couple of hundred francs.

CHF 800 and change. In Schwyz.

OH had serious chest pains, several of the text book signs, so off we went to the ER. They immediately swung into 'possible heart attack' mode, did the full range of tests.

Turned out it wasn't, thank doG.

CHF 800 to learn my husband was not having a heart attack - believe me, that was one bill I was very, very happy to pay.


(Besides, coming from the US where a visit to the ER can mean tens of thousands just to get started, CHF 800 was an absolute bargain.)

You had to pay yourself? It covered by your Swiss health insurance? When I've been to emergency, I didn't have to pay.

Depends on the reason. Was yours due to an accident? If so, the firm's accident insurance would pick up the tab.

You do understand what a franchise is?

I meant there is nothing special about emergency, it is just like going to a doctor, you pay whatever your part is, health fund pays the rest.

The hospital will normally send the bill direct to your health insurance. If your franchise is used up then insurance pay it, if it falls within your franchise then the insurance will pass the bill on to you to pay. There is no difference between emergency care and non emergency care.

Insurance covers, subject to one's franchise.

OH had not reached his, hence we paid the full amount.

In SZ, all bills are sent directly to the insurer, who then sends you a bill if you have not yet met your franchise plus Selbtsbehalt.

I know when you visit St. Gallen Notfall one of the pieces of paper they give is a price list of it what it might cost (this is targeted at overseas visitors) it's broken down into simple visit, mildly complex, visit complex visit, think the prices were 200, 500, and 1000chf.

If you have good german you might be able to search hospital website and get an idea.

This is such a ridiculous question, it is impossible to answer

A simple visit to any hospital with NO "X-rays, admission to hospital, et" will cost nothing apaprt from the bus fare or taxi to the front door.

If you go in as an emergency, depending on the emergency, subsequent diagnostics and treatment, involvement of senior staff, bed occupation, medication and treatment will determine the cost.

Basic forfait 210 CHF
Scanner 500 CHF

Thats what I paid for a basic visit a couple of weeks ago.

Unless it counts as an accident.

Tom

As others said, this question can't be answered.

What can be said is that you simply don't go to hospital emergency directly unless it's an accident or a person is unconscious/seems to have a heart-attack or similar in which case you have to call 144.

For absolutely anything else you call your own doctor first. They always have emergency-duty (groups of doctors taking turns usually). They will either tell you to come by, come to your place or tell you to go straight to the hospital, depending what you report and how it relates to your case-history (which your doctor knows!!).

Running directly to the hospital is an American thing (which I think is their system as I was dragged there too once) and - I don't know - maybe a Brit thing too.

Costs - in any case - will be covered by insurance. As a doctor is a doctor, no matter where s/he works.

The Winterthur hospital has lots of problems because self-declared emergency patients take up important resources. A few doctors opened the Permanence (sorry, German) at the trainstation in Winterthur, meant as walk-in clinic. It's very good actually and I think it took some pressure off the hospital.

This is inaccurate. In Winterthur a basic ride with the ambulance is Fr. 750.00 (no real treatment during the drive). If you called it and doctors/insurance do not consider it justified (no emergency really) you will pay the full price yourself. Sometimes you'll pay part of it (the 50% is invented or was a coincidence in posters case). If it's a true emergency insurance pays it fully.

Good luck with Uber when you are having a heart attack.

No it isn't.

Under LaMal 50% of the cost of transport by ambulance will be reimbursed if it is deemed medically necessary up to a maximum of 500chf per year ( or 5000 if it's a rescue scenario)

Transport between one hospital and another is covered 100% by basic insurance.
http://www.federationdespatients.ch/..._ambulance.pdf

You are correct.

Interesting, my clients must have had a special insurance-version (it's a general contract with Helsana Swiss-wide) as some did not have to pay a share. (Most had to - or even all as they used it like a taxi - at least the first time).

We digress- but as said, the OPs question is impossible to answer.

For ambulance costs- some Cantons subsidise it to some extent, so that costs are balanced for those who live near a hospital, or in further regions where there is no longer a local hospital, and where patients were therefore discriminated against. The case in Neuchâtel for instance. Depends n your insurance too- if I remember rightly. Ours (Assura- only paid 50%).