Swiss Doctors' Association Releases Figures on Proposed Medical Billing Cap Amidst Protests

The Swiss Medical Association (FMH) has released initial figures in response to widespread physician discontent regarding a new daily work billing cap. These provisional numbers suggest that approximately 5% of doctors across Switzerland might exceed the proposed limit, with only 0.2% of practitioners in the canton of Vaud exceeding it monthly. The association compiled these statistics urgently following a wave of professional outcry in July.

The contentious measure, conceived by parliament in 2025, aims to restrict billings covered by mandatory insurance to an average of 1577 tariff points per workday, calculated on a monthly basis. This policy awaits final validation from the Federal Council in November. However, the proposal has angered many physicians, particularly those in specialties like cardiology, where daily activities frequently surpass the intended threshold.

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They would only be 1.8% of Vaudois doctors to exceed, once a month, the ceiling of medical services that should come into effect on January 1st. And only 0.2% of practitioners in this canton exceed it every month.

Officially, the goal of this new regulation is to identify and address "aberrant" billing practices, which in some cases have reportedly involved 24-hour workdays. Yet, a significant number of doctors perceive this as a punitive action. They argue that the decision was made without adequate concrete data on the effects of the new Tardoc medical tariff, which itself only came into effect at the beginning of the year. The concern is that this cap could unfairly penalize physicians, especially those in demanding fields, without a clear understanding of its impact on patient care and medical practice.

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limit the billing charged to mandatory insurance to 1577 tariff points per workday, on average monthly.