A collection of medical auditors has revealed that around a third of dentists in Switzerland overcharge their patients. The claim follows an incident in Canton Zurich, where a person was charged over 700 francs too much for a procedure.
Speaking anonymously to Blick, two insurance auditors estimated that around a third of dental bills in Switzerland are too expensive. They estimate that in each case, dentists charge up to 100 francs too much per procedure. Overbilling overall is said to cost patients 200 million francs a year.
Though its cost can be deducted from your tax return, the vast majority of health insurance policies in Switzerland do not cover dental care. With patients on the line for any costs, dentists are meant to follow a strict fee system for treatments, but multiple cases have shown that the complexity of the system leaves it open to manipulation.
The news ties into a recent case in Winterthur, where a patient was billed 3.951,35 francs for a root canal. However, the maximum tariff set for the treatment is 3.181 francs, meaning he was overcharged by 770 francs.
Speaking under a pseudonym to Blick, he conceded that “for us patients, it is almost impossible to detect fake bills.” Though he took the case to the arbitration body in Zurich, they only acknowledged that he had been overcharged 84,75 francs and told him to pay the bill. "I felt powerless. That's why I paid the full bill," he concluded.
In response to the incident, the Swiss Dental Association (SSO) wrote in a statement that they “firmly reject this billing practice”. They, along with two other dentists, confirmed that the man was overcharged by at least 600 francs. "Invoices of this type harm the good reputation of dentists," they continued, promising a full investigation into the case.
However, they cautioned against taking action against the arbitration authorities, arguing that the system typically works well and is much cheaper than seeking reimbursement through lawyers and legal action. For their part, the Zurich Arbitration Office confirmed that they are re-evaluating the case.