FINANCES
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The information below takes into account the legal changes that entered in force on 1.7.2022
The Swiss healthcare system is divided into 2 pillars:
1. Medical care (LAMal)
This part covers all care related to healthcare supervised by a medical doctor (MD) with the exception of dental care. It doesn’t include psychology (and other “alternative” approaches) unless the psychologist works as a subordinate for a MD. In this case the responsible person is the MD; he signs off on everything. Often the case in hospitals, this is an archaic system that doesn’t reflect the differences between the body and the mind. An MD is specialised in the body, a psychologist in the mind. Both are interdependent and of same importance. Finally, this system has long been abandoned by most European and North-American countries, but for now this is the way things work in Switzerland.
2. Complementary care (LCA)
This part can cover other healthcare options, like psychology. however, it’s not a legal obligation to have this kind of coverage and as such the insurance companies can refuse coverage altogether or in specific domains. In practice this means that if you ever visited a psychologist in the past, every insurance company will refuse to cover you for psychology.
The services of the Swiss Attention Center fall under the second category (LCA).
This means that we strongly advise you the following:
You already have complementary insurance: Write your insurance company (not necessarily the same one as for LAMal) to ask if our services are covered by your health plan and which conditions have to be met. We’ve prepared a standard document (in french) that you can print out, fill out and then send out to them (button).
You don’t have complementary insurance: Search for an insurance company that offers complementary insurance*. This company doesn’t have to be the same as the one providing your LAMal coverage. You can start out by visiting comparis.ch the lists all plans of all companies, as well as a quality label. Alternatively you can ask advise from a financial advisor*. Usually their advise is free of charge (they get a commission from the insurance companies). Pay attention to the conditions (many insurance use lists of recognised practitioners, limiting your free choice) and to the start date of the coverage (which is often on the 1st of the month following the final approval of the contract by your insurance, which is not the same as the date of signature).
*You might be interested in our links page that’s based on our experiences and feedback from our patients, but the choice is entirely yours.
The current tariff is valid from March 15th, 2019.
In accordance with the current TARMED system governing the financial exchange between healthcare providers and insurances, our tariff is applied for every period of 5 minutes.
Tariff: CHF 12.083 / 5 min (approx. CHF 145 / hour)
This tariff applies to all consults, but also to all time spent in the absence of the patient for test correction, test analysis, report redaction, … It also applies to any time spent on invoicing once a second reminder has been sent.
This tariff corresponds to the usual hourly rate applied by all psychologist in the Neuchâtel area. Other regions use other rates (ex. Zürich area 210 CHF / hour).
1. Cancellations 24h (48h) in advance
If you want to cancel the consultation, you need to do this 48h in advance. Then the cancellation will be at no cost.
Cancelations between 24h and 48h in advance, leads to invoicing at 50%.
Cancelations less then 24h in advance are invoiced in full, no matter what the reason is!
Any discount is at our sole discretion.
2. No partial results
If you’re in the process of being evaluated (bilan), you know it includes an intake, several tests, as well as a series of questionnaires. No results will be available until all parts of the evaluation are finished. The reason behind this is that the test correction is only done after all parts of the evaluation are completed (intake, tests, questionnaires,…). This way less time is spent on the diagnostic process, which in turn means lesser costs.
Be aware that this also means that no partial results are given, not even to other healthcare professionals.
If you cancel before the end of the process, you’ll have no results, but payment of the time already spent will be invoiced!
Example: A standard evaluation of ADHD includes 3 tests. The first one is administered during 2 consultations.
Situation a) You cancel after the first consult of the first test: No results will be available. The time spent will be invoiced.
Situation b) You cancel after the second consult of the first test: No results are available. The time spent will be invoiced.
If you ask for the results explicitly, we can write a report. In that case the time spent for correction and for writing the report will be invoiced as well. Without report, no results will be communicated.
These results do not include a diagnosis, but only the test results themselves.
Our payment details:
psyCARE Sàrl
IBAN: CH58 0900 0000 1487 91 96 1
Grand-Rue 1A, 2000 Neuchâtel, Suisse
Foreign payments have to be done in CHF (BIC/Swift: POFICHBEXXX )
Payment reference: Invoice number (FA…)
Patient care is our first priority. This may seem a classical / an evident claim, but in practice it results in irregular invoicing: If the choice presents itself, we’ll try to see one more patient and delay invoicing instead of the opposite. We try to send out invoices every month, but in reality this is far from guaranteed.
On the invoice you’ll find a total for 3 categories: Consultations | Services | Products. You’ll also find an overview for the payments we already received.
On the proof for reimbursement you’ll find the details of the items on the invoice. This is the only document you need send to your insurance for a refund, it contains all necessary details.
We remind you that the patient (or legal representative) is responsible for the payment to us. Only then the insurance can reimburse you. The insurance never pays directly to us! Even when the insurance hasn’t reimbursed you, the invoice has to be paid before the deadline.
Reminders: We do send reminders, but they are no legal obligation. Legally, the payment of the invoice is due immediately. The first reminder is at no extra cost, but after the second reminder, we invoice the time spent on the invoice at the usual tariff (see above). We use text messages, emails and paper reminders.
In case of payment issues, please contact: comptabilite [-at-] swissattentioncenter.ch
Attention: Without news or payment from your side, the invoice will be sent to the bailiffs office (with considerable additional costs!). We try to avoid it, but it really does happen a couple of times a year! Once an invoice has been transferred to a bailiffs office, all communication has to be addressed at them.
Depending on your personal financial situation and healthcare coverage, you might have difficulties paying for the care you need. We always try to find a solution, but the demand and the proof has to come from you.
However,
– Any invoices already invoiced can’t be modified and need to be paid in full.
– Send your payment plan details to comptabilite [-at-] swissattentioncenter.ch
– All payment plans are accepted, if they do not exceed 2 years. We require a minimum payment of CHF 10/month, every month! If the payment plan is respected, we don’t ask for interests or additional costs. In contrast, one missed payment, means the total amount of the invoice is due immediately.
Exceptionally, we do apply a permanent discount of up to 50%. For this we need substantial convincing from your side. In any case, the decision is at our sole discretion and can’t be inferred.
No package deals:
Consultations are invoiced per 5 minutes, just like other medical services in Switzerland. So even though you might be coming in for an evaluation (bilan) including several tests. Every period of 5 min spent, is due and consequently invoiced, even if you don’t finish the whole evaluation. It’s not a package deal.
Certificates and reports:
Certificats written during the consultation won’t be invoiced. If need be, we’ll write certificates and reports without requiring/invoicing an extra consultation. However, the time spent on it is invoiced (periods of 5 minutes) at the basic rate (except in the cases where a special tarif plan applies). On the certificate for reimbursement (attached to the invoice), you’ll find the details (time and cost) of every certificat and/or report.
We reserve the right to update (change) the elements above at anytime without warning. In case of doubts, the previous version prevails, or else, the applicable laws.
DIAGNOSTICS / CONSULTATIONS / MENTAL TRAINING
For consultations, we only reply to emails and text messages (sms).
The consultations prevent us from answering phone calls.
DIAGNOSTICS / CONSULTS / MENTAL TRAINING
For consultations, we only reply to emails and text messages (sms).
The consultations prevent us from answering phone calls.