Health insurance invoices

Health insurance invoices

"When do I start calculating the 30-day period for invoices received from my health insurance company, given that it sends them by B Mail, which sometimes takes a week to reach us?"

Bernard, Geneva

The due date of a payment obligation is set either by law, by contract or by a summons from the creditor.

Health insurance is governed by the Health Insurance Act (LAMal) and the Health Insurance Ordinance (OAMal). For premiums, the payment due date is set by art. 90 OAMal and not by the date on which the invoice is sent. Unless your insurance company advises you otherwise, premiums must be paid in advance and, in principle, every month, i.e. no later than the last day of the month for the following month.

With regard to the costs of service providers (doctors, pharmacies, etc.), there are two ways of proceeding. Either the insured person pays the service provider and is then entitled to reimbursement from his or her health insurance fund for the portion covered, or the insurance company pays the service provider and then asks the insured person to be reimbursed for his or her share of the costs. The 30-day time limit for payment is set out in your insurance policy's general terms and conditions.

If an insured does not pay the premium or the contribution to costs due, the insurer must send him a written reminder and give him a period of 30 days in which to do so, drawing his attention to the consequences if he does not make the payment within this period (art. 64a LAMaL and art. 105b OAMal). If the insured fails to pay within the deadline, the insurer will take legal action against the claim within four months, and will then suspend payment of the cost of benefits until the arrears have been paid in full, together with interest on arrears (of 5% per year) and the costs of legal action.