What are preventative examinations good for?
The aim of preventative examinations and screenings is to identify risk factors and the manifestation of an illness before it can result in you suffering from a complaint. The earlier an illness can be caught, the lower the costs of treatment and the better the chances are that you will recover.
Does a preventative examination make sense for me or not?
Whether a preventative examination makes sense depends on your personal risk factors, for example being overweight, stress, nicotine addiction, sensitive skin, serious short-sightedness or histories of other diseases in the family. Another key factor is age. A mammography screening is recommended every two years for women from the age of 50 for example.
What are the risks of preventative examinations?
Some screenings, e.g. colonoscopies, do involve some health risks. In addition, some preventative examinations can give false results. You must also consider that some illnesses may be discovered that perhaps would never have caused any symptoms. In these cases, finding them at an early stage has no benefit and simply leads to anxiety and a lower quality of life.
Who performs preventative examinations?
Your GP can perform some examinations, while others require the involvement of specialists, such as urologists, gynaecologists or ophthalmologists. The best thing to do is ask your GP or a doctor from Medgate (tel.: 0844 655 655). They will also advise you whether a screening makes sense or not.
Which preventative examinations are covered by insurance?
All of the following preventative examinations are covered by your basic insurance: vaccinations (as per the Swiss vaccination schedule), colonoscopies and skin examinations for patients with family histories of conditions, up to eight preventative examinations for pre-school children, gynaecological check-ups incl. smear tests every three years and mammographies. You can find a complete overview in the Health Care Benefits Ordinance under the section “preventative measures”.
Unless medically prescribed, you must pay for any preventative examinations that do not appear in the list, unless you have concluded a relevant supplementary insurance policy, such as ÖKK PREVENTION. This insurance covers up to 90% of the costs of selected preventative examinations, check-ups and vaccinations.