Our vitamin D levels are too often tested for no reason. The basic insurance of the Swiss, the LAMal, has decided to no longer reimburse this medical examination at all costs. Until now, some doctors tended to almost systematically prescribe a dosage of vitamin D to their patient during a routine check-up.
This hormone, activated among other things by UV rays from the sun, is necessary for the growth and strength of bones. Its level in the blood can be tested using a blood test and laboratory analysis. These dosages will now only be reimbursed to people considered to be at risk. A logical and rational decision according to the president of the Neuchâtel Medicine Society, Dominique Bünzli.
However, the tests will continue to be paid for for patients suffering from bone diseases, or pathologies that affect the mechanisms of absorption of vitamin D, such as kidney or gastrointestinal diseases.
According to several studies, a vitamin D deficiency in healthy people, for example during the winter when the sun is weak, has no real harmful effect on health. “If you have a balanced diet, it is not necessary to consume food supplements. It is better to invest your money in organic and local products”, reminds Dominique Bünzli.
The objective is also financial: an analysis of the level of vitamin D in the blood is invoiced approximately 50 francs by the laboratories in Switzerland. Reducing their number might lead to significant savings. “We would like to create intelligent medicine, which takes costs into account without compromising its quality”, indicates Dominique Bünzli.
These new reimbursement guidelines came into effect on July 1, 2022 nationwide and have been communicated to physicians likely to prescribe dosages. /ara
