Hi all,

I have been bitten by either a spider or an insect and have had a fever (which I initially assosiated with flu and still could be, who knows) and the reaction around the bite is not going away dispite applications of cream supplied by the pharmacy.

At this point if it is not looking better tomorrow and I am not feeling better tomorrow I recon I should get medical attention. Only having been in Switzerland as a resident and working for three weeks now, I don't have my Sickness insurance sorted out yet but was wondering if this would not be covered under accident insurance as it is an external event?

Can anybody provide some advice. And yes, google is most probably my friend but I am still a little feverish so I thought I would cover all the bases at once.

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Living it up in Gersau.

No idea but please do go to the doctor...best wishes!

The bite mark isn't in the shape of a ring, pale in the middle and red round the outside, is it?

If so, you might want to make sure you get checked for Lyme disease. It's very nasty, but treatable if you catch it early enough.

An insect bite comes under accident insurance.

Nope thank hevens no, I have had stuff carried by ticks already once in my life and that was bad enough. It was indoors so I doubt tick anyway. I assumed mosquito but the other bite I had on my shoulder has gone away completely but the one on my neck not at all so now I am concerned.

In that case, the only doctor you should be seeing is Dr van Helsing!

Not having gone through this whole process....

How does one go about accident related medical care?

Do I need to contact my company?
do I find a doctor
do I go to a hospital?

What will happen with the bill (a bit short of funds initially as I have just moved here until my pay check at the end of the month so 1000 CHF on the spot bills are out of the question)?

Thanks all for the help!

Sorry, no rep for you as EF is not being friendly but thanks for a good chuckle while I am feeling shite.

The incidents I have had in the past which have come under the accident insurance was just a case of informing the hospital or doctor (if they don't fathom it out themselves!) and they just forward everything to your employer who deals with it. I had a copy of the documents but I don't think it's entirely necessary.

Don't hesitate, just get yourself fixed.

There will be emergency doctors on call tomorrow. Look one up and get an appointment (let me know if you need help finding one) and go.

On Monday, let your employer know what happened and they will give you a form to complete and hand back to them.

The payment will only be due in around 30 days or so (or more.. Depending on how the doc runs his accounts) so don't worry, they will not demand a payment on the spot.

If I recall correctly, when I received the bill, I just passed it onto my employer or it was sent directly to them. Either way, you won't be paying for the doc appointment and the meds.

Hope you feel better soon.

Go to a Dr or Hospital, take your work permit.
You will need to fill in a form about employer (accident) & health insurance.

The bill will take 3 months to arrive, if it's an accident it will be taken care of, if not they will send it to you to forward to your medical insurance.

I was here for 5 years without insurance in the 90's paid a total of 150 chf in medical bills. My annuel bills are always lower than my excess. Medical bills are not that expensive here in any case.

Guys, thank you all so much for the help and advice and chuckle. I am sure I will be fine and feel much better already just knowing that it all seems very easy to get around the system here.

I wish you all the best, Colin, and hope you'll soon be back on form.
Kind regards.

The same xx

Any news on the Spider ?

Colin. Call a taxi now, pack a credit card, health insurance card and residence permit and take yourself down to your nearest Notfall. They may ask for the credit card but normally just to take a copy. You'll get the bill from the hospital a week later and if it's a lot, it will be a copy bill. Your insurance will have paid it and will bill you for the excess. The only thing you'll have to pay upfront is for the meds. Collect the receipts and send them in - you may have to use a sticker. Go on, go now.

Bloomin' 'eck Econo, that's the last thing I needed to read before heading off to bed.

Colin

If you don't see anyone tonight then I would go to the Permanence doctor's practice at HB first thing in the morning - if you have a work permit then you may not need to pay immediately and have the bill sent on, otherwise they will ask you to pay there and then.

Here is the link about it in English - opens at 7 am even on Saturdays

http://www.permanence.ch/frame_e.htm

Hope you recover soon

The Permanence clinic provides an excellent service, but it's quite a trek from Basel.

Is there an equivalent in that city?

Good point - will have a look on t'internet