Key points at a glance
- Since 01.01.2022, basic health insurance has only paid for podiatry in cases of diabetes with certain risk factors affecting the foot.
- A doctor’s prescription is required, and the podiatrist must be licensed under Art. 50d KVV.
- Per calendar year, 4 sessions are covered (polyneuropathy without a circulatory disorder) or 6 sessions (with a circulatory disorder, or after an ulcer or amputation).
- A new doctor’s prescription is needed for each new calendar year.
- The deductible and retention fee also apply to podiatry.
What is podiatry?
Podiatry is the medical care and treatment of the feet. Podiatrists remove calluses and corns, care for and treat nails, check skin and nails for injuries and give advice on shoes and orthopaedic aids. Unlike a cosmetic pedicure, podiatry is aimed at people for whom a small injury to the foot can have serious consequences.
The most important group is people with diabetes. In their case, nerve damage (polyneuropathy) can reduce the sensation of pain in the foot, and circulatory disorders slow down healing. An unnoticed pressure point can thus turn into an open wound, known as a diabetic ulcer. Regular podiatric check-ups are intended to prevent this.
In health insurance, podiatry is therefore strictly regulated. Since 01.01.2022, basic health insurance has paid for podiatry for people with diabetes who have a specific risk factor for diabetic foot syndrome. For everyone else, podiatry is not a benefit of basic health insurance. Some supplementary outpatient insurance policies pay contributions; this is set out in the terms of the contract concerned.
How it works
For basic health insurance to pay, four conditions must be met:
- Diabetes with a risk factor. You have diabetes mellitus and at least one of these risk factors: polyneuropathy (with or without peripheral arterial disease, PAD for short), a previous diabetic ulcer or a diabetes-related amputation.
- Doctor’s prescription. Your doctor prescribes podiatry.
- Licensed podiatrist. The treatment is provided by a podiatrist licensed under the KVV or by a licensed podiatry organisation.
- Covered services. Coverage includes checking the foot, skin and nails, gentle removal of calluses and gentle nail care, instruction and advice on foot, nail and skin care, on choosing shoes and on orthopaedic aids, and checking whether the shoes fit.
The number of sessions per calendar year is limited:
| Situation | Sessions per year |
|---|---|
| Diabetes with polyneuropathy, without PAD | 4 |
| Diabetes with polyneuropathy and PAD | 6 |
| Diabetes after a diabetic ulcer or a diabetes-related amputation | 6 |
If treatment is to continue the following year, a new doctor’s prescription is needed. The costs are billed like other benefits of basic health insurance: first towards the deductible, then with a 10% retention fee.
Legal basis
Art. 25 para. 2 let. a no. 3 KVG allows basic health insurance to cover services by persons working on a doctor’s prescription. The details on podiatry are set out in Art. 11c of the Health Care Benefits Ordinance (KLV), in force since 01.01.2022:
- Art. 11c para. 1 KLV names the conditions (diabetes mellitus with polyneuropathy, a previous ulcer or amputation) and the covered services.
- Art. 11c para. 2 KLV limits the sessions to 4 or 6 per calendar year.
- Art. 11c para. 3 KLV requires a new doctor’s prescription for continuation in the new year.
Who may bill basic health insurance as a podiatrist is governed by Art. 50d KVV: a cantonal licence to practise, a diploma from a college of higher education in podiatry or equivalent training, 2 years of practical experience after the diploma, self-employed work on one’s own account and proof of meeting the quality requirements. Art. 52f KVV governs the licensing of podiatry organisations. You will find the list of all benefits of basic health insurance in the KLV.
Example: podiatry for diabetes over one year
Ursula, 69, meets the conditions of Art. 11c KLV for 4 sessions per year. Her GP prescribes podiatry in January 2026. Ursula goes to the podiatrist 6 times this year. She had already used up her CHF 300 deductible in February because of other treatments. The price per session is an assumption; the number of sessions and the retention fee follow from the KLV and KVG.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Covered sessions under Art. 11c para. 2 KLV | 4 × CHF 90 | CHF 360 |
| Of which 10% retention fee | CHF 36 | |
| Uncovered sessions 5 and 6 | 2 × CHF 90 | CHF 180 |
| Ursula’s own share | CHF 216 |
What this means for you
- Talk to your doctor. If you have diabetes, have your feet checked regularly and ask whether a risk factor is present. Only then is a prescription for basic health insurance possible.
- Check the licence. Ask the podiatrist whether they can bill basic health insurance. Without a licence under Art. 50d KVV, the insurer does not pay.
- Plan your sessions. Spread the covered sessions over the year. You pay for additional sessions yourself.
- Get a new prescription every year. Remember the new prescription in January.
- Check your supplementary insurance. If you need podiatry without diabetes or more sessions, check the terms of your supplementary insurance.
You will find which insurers offer which additional benefits in the overview of health insurers. With the premium calculator you can compare basic health insurance, which covers podiatry for diabetes in the same way at every insurer. If you receive care at home, you can also arrange for foot checks with Spitex.
Common mistakes
- Confusing a pedicure with podiatry. Cosmetic foot care is never a benefit of basic health insurance.
- Going to the podiatrist without a prescription. Without a doctor’s prescription, basic health insurance pays nothing, even with diabetes.
- Overlooking the number of sessions. You pay for more than 4 or 6 sessions per year yourself.
- Forgetting the new prescription. The prescription is not valid beyond the calendar year.
How we work with figures and sources is explained under How we calculate.
Frequently asked questions
Does the health insurer pay for foot care?
Basic health insurance only pays for medical foot care by licensed podiatrists for people with diabetes and a risk factor for diabetic foot syndrome, on a doctor’s prescription. You pay for cosmetic foot care or podiatry for other reasons yourself, unless your supplementary insurance provides for contributions.
How many podiatry sessions does basic health insurance pay for?
For diabetes with polyneuropathy without peripheral arterial disease, 4 sessions per calendar year; with this circulatory disorder, 6. After a diabetic foot ulcer or a diabetes-related amputation, it is also 6 sessions.
Do I need a prescription for podiatry?
Yes. Basic health insurance only pays on a doctor’s prescription. Continuing in the new calendar year requires a new prescription.
What is the difference between podiatry and a pedicure?
Podiatrists have medical training at a college of higher education and treat at-risk patients. A pedicure is personal care. Only podiatry can be covered by basic health insurance, under the conditions of the KLV.
Related terms
- Aids and appliancesAids and appliances are medical items and products such as crutches, incontinence products or inhalers that you use yourself at home. Basic health insurance reimburses them if a doctor has prescribed them and they are on the Aids and Appliances List (MiGeL), up to the maximum amount set there. For children’s glasses, that is at most CHF 180.67 per year.
- Spitex (home care)Spitex stands for help and nursing care at home, outside hospital. Basic health insurance pays fixed contributions towards nursing care ordered by a doctor or assessed by a nurse, in 2026 for example CHF 52.60 per hour of basic care. You pay at most CHF 15.35 per day towards the rest; the canton or municipality covers the remainder. Basic insurance does not pay for household help.
- Supplementary outpatient insuranceSupplementary outpatient insurance is a voluntary contract under the Insurance Contract Act (ICA) that helps pay for outpatient services outside basic health insurance, such as glasses, complementary medicine, medicines not covered by basic insurance or fitness. The insurer may ask health questions and turn you down. It may not cover the deductible and retention fee of basic health insurance (Art. 64 para. 8 KVG).
- KLV (Health Care Benefits Ordinance)The KLV, the Health Care Benefits Ordinance, sets out which benefits basic health insurance covers, under what conditions and up to what amount. It is issued by the Federal Department of Home Affairs. For example, it provides that the insurer pays 50% of the cost of rescues in Switzerland, up to CHF 5,000 a year.
Sources
- Health Care Benefits Ordinance (KLV), Art. 11cArt. 11c KLVfedlex.admin.ch
- Health Insurance Ordinance (KVV), Art. 50dArt. 50d KVVfedlex.admin.ch
- Health Insurance Ordinance (KVV), Art. 52fArt. 52f KVVfedlex.admin.ch
- Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG), Art. 25Art. 25 para. 2 let. a KVGfedlex.admin.ch