Complementary medicine should be equated

Complementary medicine should be equated with other disciplines

05/28/2014

The services of anthroposophic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and phytotherapy should in principle be covered by the Obligatory Nursing Insurance (OKP). Controversial services should be specifically examined to see whether they are effective, expedient and economic. With this approach
The Federal Department of Home Affairs (EDI) would like to fulfill a constitutional mandate.

Since 2012, compulsory health care insurance (OKP) has provisionally taken over medical services for anthroposophic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, medical homeopathy and phytotherapy by 2017. This is the result of a positive referendum in 2009. Remuneration is provisional and limited because it is not clear that the benefits of the four complementary medical disciplines are effective, expedient and economic. After two years, it now became apparent that this proof for the disciplines as a whole is not possible. Therefore, the EDI has suggested that these disciplines be equated to other medical specialties compensated by the OKP.

This would also apply to them the principle of trust and the benefits would basically be reimbursed by the OKP. Analogous to the other medical disciplines, only individual, controversial services are to be reviewed. How the criteria of effectiveness, expediency and cost-effectiveness are applied must be specified in more detail for complementary medicine. The EDI and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) have informed the circles concerned about the planned procedure and invited them to participate in the elaboration of the criteria and processes. In order to comply with the constitutional mandate in this way, the regulation on health insurance and the regulation of the Health Insurance Fund must be implemented EDI to be adjusted for benefits in compulsory health care insurance. These can be decided by the Federal Council or the EDI in their own competence. (Pm)