ABOUT THIS EDITION
Dear Insured Member,
We are delighted to present the March edition of the bimonthly UNSMIS newsletter!
In this issue we will discuss the following:
- Nutritional Treatment
- Emergency Transport & Medevac
- Feedback – Thank You!
The newsletter will be sent to insured members via email, will be published on the website and will appear as a pop-up window on the eClaims Portal.
We hope you find this newsletter helpful.
Kind regards,
The UNSMIS Team
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In our previous edition, we covered medicinal weight‑loss treatments, which fall under the category of “Expensive Medicine” and require prior authorization from the Medical Adviser, as well as a prescription from an endocrinologist.
In this edition we turn our attention to nutritional treatments, which may also play a role in weight management, by taking a closer look at Benefit 13 in Annex III of our Internal Rules – “Nutritional Treatment”.
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A) Weight Management
Treatment for undernutrition and obesity is covered upon a doctor’s prescription. Coverage is determined based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) and is reimbursed as follows:
- BMI below 15 or above 30:
Medical treatment and consultations with an approved dietician are reimbursed at 80%, up to a maximum of CHF 70.- per session, with a limit of 10 sessions per lifetime.
- BMI above 15 and below 30:
Medical treatment and consultations with an approved dietician are reimbursed at 80%, up to a maximum of CHF 70.- per session, with a limit of 10 sessions per lifetime.
Prior authorization from the Medical Adviser is required for reimbursement.
Medical treatment provided in a hospitalized establishment is reimbursed at 80%.
Prior authorization from the Medical Adviser is required. The maximum duration of treatment is subject to the patient’s condition and the approval of the Medical Adviser.
Hospitalization and surgical procedures may be reimbursed as a regular hospitalization (please see Benefit 1, 2, and 3 in our Internal Rules).
Reconstructive surgery may be covered if weight loss exceeds 35% of the initial body weight and is stabilized over 12 consecutive months.
Prior authorization from the Medical Adviser is required for reimbursement.
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B) Nutritional Treatment for Other Medical Conditions
- Medical treatment and consultations with an approved dietician are reimbursed at 80%, up to a maximum of CHF 70.- per session, with a limit of 10 sessions per lifetime.
- A doctor’s prescription and prior authorization from the Medical Adviser are required.
For further details, see: Internal Rules, Annex III, Item 13
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To request prior authorization, please submit all relevant documentation (such as a prescription or referral, medical report, quotation, medical imaging, and any other supporting documents) at least two weeks in advance to medrepunsmis@un.org.
For further details on the prior authorization process, and on hospitalization, please refer to our newsletter from July 2025. |
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EMERGENCY TRANSPORT & MEDEVAC
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In this article, we explain how emergency transportation is covered under the UNSMIS medical insurance scheme.
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Emergency transport by ambulance to the nearest place of treatment is reimbursed at 80%. The Supplementary Plan is applicable.
In case of other forms of transportation up to 200 km, prior authorization of the Medical Adviser must be obtained. In such cases, the Supplementary Plan is not applicable. The same conditions apply to round‑trip transportation for outpatient treatment to the nearest location where appropriate treatment can be provided, within a distance of up to 200 km.
The costs of transportation by private car are not reimbursable.
Expenses for rescue (help and evacuation) are reimbursable at a rate of 50%, up to CHF 5,000.- per year, if not related to:
- A sporting activity done in violation of the safety rules defined by the public authorities or by the international or national sports federation concerned in such a way that the insured person could not ignore the risks;
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- Any other exclusionary factors listed under Rule VIII/7/g of our Internal Rules.
The Supplementary Plan is not applicable.
For further details, see: Internal Rules, Annex III, Item 27 and Rule VIII/7/g
Please note that medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) is not covered under UNSMIS. All MEDEVACs must be approved in accordance with established procedures and obtain the necessary clearance from the Organization for which the insured person is working.
For information on emergency hospitalization, please refer to our July 2025 newsletter.
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We launched the UNSMIS Newsletter two years ago with the aim of providing clear and practical information to help you navigate your health insurance coverage. To help us continue improving, we invited you to share your feedback in our January edition.
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate. Your feedback is highly valued and greatly appreciated.
The overall rating of the newsletter was 4.37 out of 5 stars. We were pleased to see that 83% of respondents found the length of the articles to be “just right”, and 87% considered the topics covered to be relevant. In addition, 78% of respondents indicated that they always read our editions.
The survey also included two open questions on the topics readers found most useful to date and on subjects they would like to see addressed in future editions. The responses reflected a wide range of interests, and it is reassuring to see that many readers feel the newsletter has successfully addressed important and practical subjects. We have carefully reviewed your suggestions for future topics and will incorporate them into our upcoming editions.
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If you have missed past editions, or wish to read an older edition one more time, please note that all newsletters are available on our website, together with a summary of the topics covered in each issue. To date, we have published 41 articles, with a focus on topics aimed at making claims reimbursement faster and easier, as well as preventing affiliation related issues.
Thank you once again for sharing your feedback. We truly hope that the content continues to support insured members by improving the general understanding of UNSMIS’s rules and by helping make interaction with your health insurance smoother and more effective.
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