Aids and appliances

What are aids and appliances?

Aids and appliances are items that help you treat an illness, relieve its effects or monitor a treatment. In Swiss health insurance law they are called “means and objects” (Mittel und Gegenstände). Examples are crutches, compression stockings, dressings, incontinence aids, blood glucose test strips, inhalers or spectacle lenses for children.

What matters is that you use the aid yourself, alone or with the help of someone close to you, or that it is used as part of care at home or in a nursing home. Material that a doctor uses up during a treatment in the practice is not an aid in this sense; it is included in the tariff for the treatment.

Which aids and appliances basic health insurance pays for, and up to what amount, is set out exhaustively in the Aids and Appliances List (MiGeL) of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). Basic health insurance does not pay for anything that is not on the list. Supplementary insurance can cover more; this is governed by its policy conditions under the Insurance Contract Act.

The distinction from other social insurances is important. Invalidity insurance covers, among other things, walking aids, hearing aids, glasses and contact lenses, orthopaedic footwear, orthoses and prostheses. Old-age and survivors’ insurance (AHV) pays, for example, for hearing aids, orthopaedic shoes and magnifying glasses, and after an accident accident insurance is responsible. The health insurer only steps in if none of these insurances is liable to pay.

How it works

For basic health insurance to reimburse an aid, three conditions must be met:

1. The product is on the MiGeL. The list is organised by product group, for example “walking aids”, “hearing aids” or “visual aids”. Many items have a limitation, such as a minimum duration or an age limit.
2. A doctor has prescribed it. For certain products, a prescription from a chiropractor is also sufficient.
3. An authorised supplier dispenses it. The supplier needs a cantonal authorisation and a contract with your insurer, for example a pharmacy or a medical supply shop.

For each product, the MiGeL sets a maximum reimbursement amount (HVB). This is the most the insurer will pay, including VAT. If your product costs more, you pay the difference yourself. Expensive devices that can be reused are generally rented out by the supplier; the rent then includes fitting and maintenance.

Some amounts apply “per year”. This does not mean per calendar year, but for 365 days from the first purchase. Children’s glasses bought on 31 October can be reimbursed again in November of the following year at the earliest. Other amounts apply “per year (pro rata)” to consumables that are used continuously.

The insurer settles the aid like any other benefit. So you first pay your deductible and then a 10% retention fee up to the annual maximum. The difference above the HVB is not part of this and is not counted anywhere.

Legal basis

Under Art. 25 para. 2 let. b of the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG), basic health insurance covers the means and objects prescribed by a doctor that serve for examination or treatment. Art. 52 para. 1 let. a no. 3 KVG instructs the Federal Department of Home Affairs to determine the obligation to pay benefits and the extent of reimbursement, and under Art. 52 para. 3 KVG the items may be charged at most at these rates.

The details are set out in the Health Care Benefits Ordinance (KLV). Art. 20 KLV describes which items are reimbursed: prescribed by a doctor, dispensed by a supplier under Art. 55 of the Health Insurance Ordinance (KVV) and used by you yourself or with the help of a person not involved in a professional capacity, or used as part of nursing care. Art. 20a KLV refers to the list in Annex 2, which the FOPH publishes on its website. Art. 24 KLV governs the maximum reimbursement amounts: if the price exceeds the amount, the difference is borne by the insured person (para. 3); the reimbursement can be set as a purchase price or a rental price (para. 4). Art. 64 KVG applies to the co-payment.

Example: crutches after an operation

Marco is 52, has had a knee operation and needs to take weight off his leg for several weeks. His doctor prescribes crutches with an anatomical grip. The MiGeL (as of 01.07.2026) sets a maximum reimbursement amount of CHF 60.22 per pair for these, with the limitation that weight relief of at least one month is necessary. Let us assume that the medical supply shop charges CHF 75.00 for its model.

If Marco chooses a model with an ergonomic grip, for which the MiGeL provides CHF 35.13 and to which no limitation on the duration of weight relief applies, the calculation changes accordingly.

What this means for you

Ask about the maximum reimbursement amount before you buy. Pharmacies and medical supply shops know the MiGeL items and can tell you whether a product is reimbursed and how much you pay yourself. Always ask for a doctor’s prescription; without it, the insurer pays nothing.

For larger aids, first clarify which insurance is responsible. After an accident it is accident insurance, in the case of invalidity often invalidity insurance (IV), and for hearing aids at retirement age old-age and survivors’ insurance (AHV). You can read more about this under hearing aid. Only if none of them pays does basic health insurance come into play.

For adults’ glasses, basic health insurance only helps in special cases. Many supplementary insurance policies pay a glasses contribution; whether this is worth it depends on the premium and the benefit. Basic health insurance benefits are the same at every insurer; if you want to save on premiums, compare them in the premium calculator. You can find key figures and contact details for the insurers in the health insurer profiles.

Common mistakes

• Buying without a prescription. Without a doctor’s prescription, basic health insurance does not reimburse any aid, even if it is on the MiGeL.
• Forgetting the difference above the maximum amount. Whatever a product costs above the HVB, you pay yourself, and it does not count towards the deductible.
• Thinking the health insurer pays for everything. After an accident, accident insurance pays; for many aids, invalidity insurance (IV) or old-age and survivors’ insurance (AHV) pays. The health insurer does not cover any remaining costs that these insurances do not cover.
• Replacing children’s glasses too early. The amount of CHF 180.67 applies for 365 days from the last purchase, not per calendar year.
• Hoping for reimbursement without a receipt. Submit the invoice with the prescription; only then is the amount counted towards your deductible and retention fee.

We explain how we present benefits and sources under How we calculate.