Changing health insurance while undergoing treatment: is it possible?
Are you currently undergoing medical treatment and would like to change your health insurance provider? It’s possible, but there are some things you should be aware of. Comparis explains what you need to know.
18.08.2023
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1. Changing health insurance while undergoing treatment: am I allowed?
In principle, you may always switch basic insurance before the deadline. This means that changing health insurance is also possible while undergoing treatment.
However, if you have outstanding debts with your health insurance company, it’s not possible to change your health insurer. As long as you have your paid premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, it is possible even if you are undergoing ongoing treatment.
Health questionnaire for supplemental insurance
Changing supplemental insurance during treatment is somewhat more complicated. Unlike basic insurance, there is no compulsory acceptance with supplemental insurance. The insurance company can therefore reject your application for supplemental insurance. They may do this depending on your answer to the health questionnaire.
2. Changing health insurance during treatment: what to be aware of
Are you currently undergoing medical treatment and would like to change your health insurance provider for the new year? Then you must be sure of your treatment date. Your previous health insurer must provide cover for all treatment before the end of the year. This also applies to invoices that do not arrive until the new year.
Request end-of-year statement
Are you continuing treatment in the new year? We recommend asking your doctor for an end-of-year statement. This reduces the administrative burden on health insurers.
If there is no settlement at the end of the year, the two health insurers will split the individual invoice components. The disadvantage for you: this can lead to delays in the payment of benefits.
Do you have a commitment to provide cover from your health insurance company? If so, you should not change insurance. The new health insurer is under no obligation to comply with the approval of the previous insurer.
3. Treatments over the turn of the year: what applies to out-of-pocket expenses?
Out-of-pocket expenses are payable annually. The connection between the treatments does not matter here. When the treatment takes place is always decisive for the settlement of out-of-pocket expenses. When the doctor prescribed or billed the treatment is not relevant.
Are you undergoing treatment at the end of the year, for example because of a hospital stay? Treatment then falls under both the old and the new year’s deductible around the turn of the year.
This means that all costs until the end of the year still fall under the old deductible. Here, too, the date of treatment is decisive. All costs from 1 January will be covered by the new deductible. In the worst case, you pay the entire out-of-pocket expenses twice in a row. Therefore, in non-urgent cases, don’t undergo treatment over the turn of the year.
This article was first published on 05.08.2022
