EMR

What is the EMR?

The EMR, short for Erfahrungsmedizinisches Register (register of empirical medicine), is a directory of therapists who offer methods of alternative and complementary medicine, for example massage, movement or naturopathic therapies. It is run by Eskamed AG, based in Basel. According to its own information, the company has been working on quality assurance in empirical medicine since 1999.

Therapists listed in the EMR have proven their training for a specific method, must undertake regular continuing education and have their quality checked. In return, the EMR awards a quality label. The recognition does not apply to a person across the board, but to the methods for which they meet the requirements.

It is important to know what the EMR is not: it is not an authority, not a health insurer and not a statutory register. The Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG/LAMal) does not mention the EMR. Its relevance for you only arises through the contract for your supplementary insurance. Many supplementary insurers require that a therapist be recognised by a register such as the EMR or the ASCA before they cover the costs.

The line with basic health insurance is clearly drawn. Compulsory health insurance only covers complementary medicine when a physician provides the treatment, and only in five disciplines: acupuncture, anthroposophic medicine, drug therapy in traditional Chinese medicine, classical homeopathy and phytotherapy. The physician needs recognised postgraduate training for this. An EMR registration plays no role in basic health insurance.

How it works

For non-medical complementary medicine, the route from treatment to reimbursement almost always goes through supplementary insurance:

1. Choose a therapist. You look for a therapist for a particular method and check in the register whether they are listed for that method.
2. Check your cover. The general terms and conditions of your supplementary insurance state which registers and methods are recognised, how much is paid per session and whether there is an annual limit.
3. Treatment and invoice. The therapist gives you an invoice, which usually states the method, the duration and their register number. As a rule, you pay it yourself.
4. Submit the invoice. You submit the invoice to your supplementary insurer. The insurer reimburses the contractual share, provided the register, method and limits are met.

Registration is therefore a requirement, not a guarantee. If the insurer only pays a percentage or only up to a fixed amount per session, you pay the rest yourself. Each insurer sets the percentages and limits in its own contract; the law does not prescribe anything here.

Changing therapist can also have consequences. If the new therapist is only registered for a different method, the insurer may pay nothing, even though the treatment looks similar.

Legal basis

There is no legal basis for the EMR itself. It is a private register that Eskamed AG runs according to its own rules. The legal provisions concern the question of who pays for what.

In basic health insurance, Art. 25 para. 2 KVG determines which service providers may provide treatment at the expense of compulsory health insurance: physicians, chiropractors, nurses and persons who act on a physician’s order or on a physician’s behalf. Non-medical therapists in complementary medicine are not among them. Art. 4b of the Health Care Benefits Ordinance (KLV) lists the five medical disciplines of complementary medicine and makes cost coverage conditional in each case on specific postgraduate training of the physician.

Supplementary insurance is governed by the Insurance Contract Act (ICA). The ICA does not prescribe which therapies must be covered. Under Art. 3 ICA, however, the insurer must inform you before the contract is concluded about, among other things, the insured risks and the scope of the insurance cover. That information, in the general terms and conditions, also states whether and which registers the insurer recognises.

Example: treatment with and without recognition

Nina is 41 and has supplementary outpatient insurance that covers complementary medicine. She attends ten sessions at CHF 120 each with a non-medical therapist, CHF 1,200 in total. The contract values in the table are assumptions for illustration and do not come from any particular insurer.

What this means for you

Clarify cost coverage before the first session, not afterwards. These questions will help:

1. Do I have suitable supplementary insurance at all? Without supplementary insurance for complementary medicine, you pay for non-medical therapies yourself. You can compare insurers’ benefits under compare supplementary insurance.
2. Which registers does my insurer recognise? This is stated in the terms of your contract. Some insurers recognise several registers, others require a particular recognition. You will find the insurers’ contact details in the profiles under health insurers.
3. Is the therapist registered for exactly this method? Check this in the search on emr.ch and ask for the register number to be stated on the invoice.
4. Is there an alternative in basic health insurance? Acupuncture or homeopathy provided by a physician with recognised postgraduate training is paid for by basic health insurance, minus the deductible and retention fee. The premium calculator shows what basic health insurance costs you.

If you want to take out new supplementary insurance, you usually have to answer health questions. Previous treatment can lead to a reservation. That is one more reason to know exactly what your existing contracts cover before you cancel. More on therapist registers under recognised therapists.

Common mistakes

• Thinking the EMR is a state licence. The EMR is private. It does not replace a cantonal licence to practise where one is required.
• Assuming basic health insurance pays. Non-medical complementary medicine is only paid for by supplementary insurance, and only according to its rules.
• Not checking the method. Recognition applies per method. A therapist can be registered for one method and not for another.
• Overlooking limits. Many contracts limit the amount per session or per calendar year. Read up before you plan a longer course of therapy.

We explain how we build examples and comparisons under how we calculate.