Acute and transitional care

What is acute and transitional care?

Acute and transitional care (in German Akut- und Übergangspflege, AÜP) is nursing care that you need immediately after a hospital stay in order to get back to your daily life. Typical situations are the period after an operation, when a wound has to be dressed every day, or after an acute illness, when you cannot yet manage on your own. The care can take place at home through nursing care at home (Spitex), through a self-employed nurse or temporarily in a nursing home.

Acute and transitional care is a special form of the nursing care benefits of basic health insurance. The difference from ordinary nursing care lies in the financing: acute and transitional care is paid for under the rules of hospital financing, in other words jointly by the health insurer and the canton of residence. Ordinary nursing care, by contrast, is covered by the financing of long-term care, with fixed contributions from the insurer, a contribution from the insured person and residual financing by the canton or municipality.

Acute and transitional care has existed since the reorganisation of the financing of long-term care, which came into force on 01.01.2011. It is intended to close the gap between hospital and daily life without patients having to stay in hospital longer.

Acute and transitional care must be distinguished from rehabilitation (medical treatment, often in a clinic), from palliative care (care for incurable illnesses, without the two-week limit) and from help with housework, which is not a nursing care benefit of basic health insurance.

How it works

Four conditions must be met:

1. Hospital stay: Acute and transitional care follows directly on from a hospital stay.
2. Order in hospital: A doctor and a nurse at the hospital order it jointly. An order by your GP after discharge is not sufficient.
3. Necessity: The care must prove to be necessary. The basis is a needs assessment carried out by the nursing staff.
4. Recognised service providers: The care is provided by licensed nurses, Spitex organisations or nursing homes.

The services are the same as for ordinary nursing care: assessment and advice, examination and treatment (for example wound care, administering medicines, measuring vital signs) and basic care (for example help with washing and dressing).

The duration is limited to two weeks. The order is valid for this period at most. If you need care after that, a new medical order for ordinary nursing care services is required.

On financing: the insurer and the service provider agree flat rates. Each year, the canton of residence sets its share at least nine months in advance; it is at least 55%. Basic health insurance covers the rest. For care materials, such as dressings, the Aids and Appliances List (MiGeL) applies. As with every benefit of basic health insurance, you pay the co-payment made up of the deductible and the retention fee.

Legal basis

Acute and transitional care is regulated in Art. 25a para. 2 of the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG): acute and transitional care services that prove necessary following a hospital stay and are ordered in hospital jointly by a doctor and a nurse are paid for by basic health insurance and the canton of residence for a maximum of two weeks under the rules of hospital financing (Art. 49a KVG). Insurers and service providers agree flat rates.

The Health Care Benefits Ordinance (KLV) adds:

• Art. 7 para. 3 KLV: Acute and transitional care consists of the nursing care services under Art. 7 para. 2 KLV that are provided after a hospital stay, on the order of a hospital doctor, by nurses, Spitex organisations or nursing homes.
• Art. 7b KLV: The canton of residence and the insurer cover the costs on a pro rata basis; the cantonal share is at least 55% and is set no later than nine months before the start of the year.
• Art. 8 para. 2 let. b KLV: The medical order for acute and transitional care is valid for a maximum of two weeks.

For ordinary nursing care after acute and transitional care, Art. 25a para. 5 KVG applies: of the nursing care costs not covered, no more than 20% of the highest care contribution set by the Federal Council may be passed on to the insured person. Under Art. 7c KLV, the relevant amounts are CHF 76.90 for care at home and CHF 115.20 for a nursing home. The co-payment made up of the deductible and the retention fee is governed by Art. 64 KVG.

Example: two weeks of acute and transitional care, then Spitex

Ruth, 81, is discharged from hospital on 10.03.2026 after an operation. She needs help with wound care and washing. The ward doctor and the nurse in charge jointly order acute and transitional care from Spitex.

What this means for you

• Plan early: Before you are discharged from hospital, ask whether acute and transitional care is an option for you. Only the hospital can order it.
• Check the order: Ask for confirmation that the order is explicitly for acute and transitional care and comes jointly from a doctor and a nurse. Otherwise, the care counts as ordinary nursing care with a contribution from you.
• Clarify the service provider: The Spitex organisation or nursing home must be licensed. For a stay in a home, ask in advance what you will be charged for accommodation and meals; these are not nursing care services.
• Budget for the co-payment: The deductible and retention fee also apply to acute and transitional care. If you have already used up your deductible for the year, you only pay the 10% retention fee up to the annual maximum.
• After two weeks: Plan the follow-on solution before acute and transitional care ends. Spitex helps with the transition to ordinary nursing care.

If a hospital stay and nursing care are foreseeable, the premium calculator compares all deductibles so you can see which one makes sense for you. Key figures on the insurers are under health insurers.

Common mistakes

• Asking your GP for acute and transitional care after discharge. It must be ordered in hospital. Later, only ordinary nursing care is possible.
• Confusing acute and transitional care with rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is medical treatment; acute and transitional care is nursing care for no more than two weeks.
• Expecting it to last longer. Acute and transitional care ends after 14 days, even if you still need care. From then on, you contribute to the nursing care costs.
• Expecting help with housework. Cleaning, cooking and shopping are not part of acute and transitional care. Spitex has separate services for this, or supplementary insurance may pay.

We explain how we use statutory amounts in examples under how we calculate.