Surprisingly few people are familiar with the term “remedy” – although most adults have already needed remedies for themselves or their families at some point in their lives. We will take a closer look at the frequently asked questions on remedies in the article.
1. What are remedies?
The term remedy refers to a range of therapies and treatments usually prescribed by a doctor and carried out by medical professionals or therapists.
Physiotherapy: physiotherapy, massage, heat and cold treatment, medicinal baths and others
Speech therapy: voice therapy, speech therapy for fluency disorders such as stuttering or, e.g. after a stroke, speech therapy for improving phonation or language comprehension
Podiatry: medical foot care to treat pathological damage to the skin of the feet or toenails (e.g. in the case of diabetics)
Occupational Therapy (Ergotherapy): occupational therapy that promotes the general ability to act and the independence of the patient
Nutritional therapy: if a change in eating habits is necessary due to illness, support from nutritional therapy may be required (e.g. in the case of diabetes, cancer, and certain metabolic diseases).
Please refer to your coverage document for information on the types of remedies covered by your private health insurance.
2. When will my private health insurance reimburse me for the cost of remedies?
Irrespective of which insurance tariff you're on, the following conditions must be met for your private health insurance to cover the costs of remedies:
The remedy helps cure or alleviate an illness or pathological physical impairment.
A medical doctor wrote you a prescription/referral for the remedy (deeming it medically necessary)
A registered therapist/medical professional (not a medical doctor) carried out the treatment/therapy
3. Are there any limits to the reimbursement that I get?
The short answer is yes. Different tariffs offer slightly different coverage for remedies; the details are included in your coverage documents. In any case, your health insurance will only cover you up to the maximum amount listed for individual remedies in your coverage document. If your therapist charges you more than the amount stated in your coverage document, you will have to pay for a fraction of the amount charged.
Good to know: Some therapists have higher charges which are not covered by your private health insurance. When unsure, you can show the fee schedule to your therapist when making an appointment. If their charges are too high, you can decide whether to start your therapy with them or go for another therapist.
To find out whether your private health insurance will cover a remedy and how much of it will be covered, we always suggest that you submit a cost plan via your Feather account. The insurance provider will then assess your coverage according to your tariff.
You can find the annual remedies coverages for Feather customers below:
Standard short-term | Premium short-term | Standard long-term: sign up before Feb 2023 | Standard long-term: sign up after Feb 2023 | Premium long-term: sign up before August 2022 | Premium long-term: sign up after August 2022 |
Up to €750 per year | Up to €1,500 per year | 75% | 80% up to € 4,000 invoice amount, beyond that 100% | 80% with no yearly cap (maximum amount per session applies) | 100% with no yearly cap (maximum amount per session applies) |