Maternity Benefits: Who Qualifies and What You Get
Learn how maternity benefits provide exemptions from certain healthcare costs for pregnant women in Switzerland.
This scheme provides financial relief by removing specific healthcare costs for pregnant women during their pregnancy and the birth of a child.
Who it's for
This benefit is specifically designed for pregnant women. If you are expecting a child, you may be eligible to have certain medical expenses covered under this arrangement.
What you get
When you use healthcare services related to your pregnancy or the birth of your child, you receive an exemption from two specific types of costs:
- Franchise: This is the fixed amount you usually have to pay out of your own pocket for healthcare services each year before your insurance begins to cover the costs. Under this scheme, you do not have to pay this for maternity-related care.
- Co-payment: This is the additional percentage or fixed amount you typically pay for medical services even after your franchise has been met. This scheme exempts you from these co-payments for maternity-related care as well.
What it costs you
There is no fee to access or apply for these benefits. It is a social insurance provision intended to reduce the financial burden on expectant mothers.
The catch to know
It is important to understand that this exemption is not a blanket coverage for all medical needs. The relief only applies to medical checkups, treatments, and care that are directly related to your pregnancy or the process of childbirth. If you seek medical care for a condition that is unrelated to your pregnancy, you will likely still be responsible for your standard franchise and co-payment amounts.
How to apply
- Maintain regular prenatal checkups with your healthcare provider to ensure all care is documented as pregnancy-related.
- Keep all invoices and medical records related to your pregnancy and birth.
- Contact your health insurance provider to confirm how they process these exemptions under their maternity benefits protocol.
- Submit any required documentation from your doctor to your insurer to ensure the exemptions are applied to your account.