In all instances, payment is expected on completion of service provided. Though German, French, and Italian are the dominant languages in Switzerland, most professional people understand English. Americans should, therefore, have little difficulty in communicating with doctors and hospital personnel. The Swiss health system operates on a decentralized basis in each of the Swiss political jurisdictions known as cantons and each canton may, as it chooses, delegate responsibilities to local governments. Swiss law requires all people to have health insurance including visitors who expect to be in Switzerland for longer than three months.
Government subsidizes the premiums for the elderly, disabled, and low-income people.
The insurance companies make their profits from other lines of insurance including supplementary health policies for services not covered by the government mandated basic benefit package. The compulsory basic benefit package includes GP and specialist services, hospital and nursing home care, home care, as well as a variety of preventive and other services. The patient makes a co-payment directly to the doctor. The exact amount paid by the insurance company will depend on the specific services provided and will vary from canton to canton. The fee schedules within each canton are negotiated between the providers and the insurance companies, and approved by the cantonal government.