It is the time of a year to decide whether or not to change insurance mode again. Currently I am using the "TelMed" mode (call the insurance first and they will arrange you a doctor). I see the 'standard' model is the most expensive one (a mode that you can choose any family doctor).
For me, it seems that calling first (the TelMed mode) is more convenient (compared to the fact that you need to physically visit a doctor to get advice), especially in this covid time.

Is there anything else that I miss for the standard mode? Why is it more expensive, or what is its advantage over the "TelMed" mode?

Thanks

I think you just need to think about it.

With standard model you do t need to call and get permission to see a doctor or specialist, you can just go. If you don’t mind calling for permission there is no downside to telmed.

But I feel that bigger difference is during the weekend or holidays.
For TedMed model, when I was sick on Sunday before, I could always call them even on Sunday night, they either directly gave me advice or points me to a doctoc that is still open on Sunday.

For the standard mode, even you can choose any family doctor, but most of them are close on weekend or holidays. What can you do if you are sick during those days?

This seems an advantage of TedMed over standard mode, isn't is?

I have Telmed from Sanitas and it’s cheaper than the “traditional” one, however, I don’t understand why they have telmed if every time that I call them, they point me out to the same doctor...

Anyway, it’s cheaper (not huge difference)...

Comparis has a tool to check the pricing based on your “profile”.

Hope that helps

They refer you to a Dr. that is best for them. If only they would pass along some of their savings (co-pay) to the customer.

It's like generic medicines, if the price is at least 10% cheaper they should be reducing the co-pay.

Medicine it’s a very profitable industry....

My wife and I, we are paying around 600.00 both... my kids are paying individually around 200 to 250.00...

I don’t care to pay for a good doctor, however pay for the medicines a high price if compared to the rest of Europe, it’s what doesn’t sound ok, IMO....

You do the same thing basically. Call your doctor's number and there should be a message telling you who you can call for advice out of normal hours.

There is no catch, it's exactly as you say. Clearly TelMed is a good option for you if you are happy to make a phone call first anyway. Me, it would irritate - I like to make my own decisions and organise my own appointments without having to spend time talking to some nurse on the phone first.

You call your regular doctor number and there is a message giving details of who to contact or you call the helpline of your insurance company.

The GP model is often a little bit cheaper than the telmed model, we’ve always had it and it’s worked fine.

I've just changed to a Telmed one (With Atupri). mainly for this reason. Well, that, and the fact of it being about half the price of our previous insurance.

I spoke with them about this before signing up, given the relative sparcity of doctors, with none in our village and just a couple of practices in the main village of our commune of around 1000 permanent residences. They were quite clear that once we'd gone through the telephone consultation process, which incidentally should cut out the vast majority of potential GP visits, especially as they can do prescriptions for some conditions without a face to face visit, we would not be constrained to only 'local' surgeries if a visit is then needed.

Yet to see how it works in practice, and it may take some time before I can be more definitive, given that medical needs tend to be very rare for me - only one occurrence in the last three years since we;ve been here, which was an infected cat bit on my hand, which in any case would have necessitated an immediate hospital visit, without needing to have gone through the telmed process first.

The price difference for us was huge, in the order of chf200 per month each (compared with our previous insurance - but still a good huindred or more compared with the standard model with the same company. Savings of around five grand a year are definitely not to be sneezed at.

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My wife wants her doctor, not some random person. However, her doctor is not an authorized family doctor, so she has the standard model.

Tom

Me and my husband both needed travel vaccinations early this year (not that we ended up going). I have standard insurance, so I rang up and made an appointment, job done. Husband has Telmed. He had to call them for permission, but they had no one suitable available to speak to him, they said someone would call him back the next day. He waited for the call, then they rang and said the Dr no longer had time and would call him in 4 days He was like just give me bloody permission to get vaccinated, then the lady on the phone was like "Ok, done!" .... so weird.

Most standard model will also include some form of telephone line you can call to get advice on Sunday, simple prescription etc.

We have the normal model because we want to go where we want and when we want, including specialists, and the phone one is included (Visana).

But they pass those sAvings along in the form.of lower premiums if you choose this model.