Health insurance fund and BAG

In Switzerland, every person who lives here must have health insurance. This applies to children, adults and older people, whatever their nationality. After moving here, you have three months to get insured. A baby must also be insured at the latest three months after birth. The baby is then insured retroactively from birth.

The obligation applies to basic insurance, the compulsory health care insurance. Its benefits are set by law and are the same at all health insurance funds. You can freely choose your health insurance fund and change it every year. Only people who do not get insured are assigned to a fund by a cantonal office. Supplementary insurance, for example for the dentist or alternative medicine, is voluntary.

At federal level, the BAG, the Federal Office of Public Health, is responsible for health. It supervises health insurance and approves the premiums. It also provides information on health topics, for example during epidemics. The health insurance funds themselves are not public offices. They are private insurers that must follow the rules of the Confederation.

Memory aid: Three months: that is how long you have to insure yourself or your baby.