EGK-Health Insurance

EGK-Health Insurance (EGK-Gesundheitskasse) is a Swiss health insurance company headquartered in Solothurn. Founded on 22 March 1919 as the Birstal health insurance fund (Krankenkasse des Birstals) in the canteen of the pottery factory in Laufen, it was established by local industrialists in the Laufental region during a period of economic and social crisis following the First World War and the Spanish flu. Over the decades it expanded from a regional fund into a nationwide insurer, changing its name to Die Eidgenössische Kranken- und Unfallkasse in 1966 and later to Eidgenössische Gesundheitskasse in 1990. Today it operates as a foundation and is known for its focus on complementary medicine, offering both mandatory basic insurance under the Swiss health insurance law (KVG) and supplementary insurance products. Its flagship supplementary offering, EGK-SUN, provides unrestricted access to complementary medicine and free choice of hospital, and includes the EGK-ParaPhone advisory service. Other models include EGK-TelCare, a telemedicine model with round-the-clock access to Medgate, and EGK-Care, which emphasises a regular GP practice. The company also offers digital services through its myEGK portal and app, allowing members to manage claims, prescriptions and documents online. At the end of 2021, EGK had around 86,000 insured persons across basic and supplementary insurance. EGK positions itself as an independent, long-established insurer with a strong emphasis on personal responsibility, health and environmental awareness, simplicity and high-quality complementary medicine. It is also associated with the SNE Foundation for Natural Healing and Empirical Medicine, founded in 1995 to strengthen the role of complementary medicine.

EGK was founded on 22 March 1919 as the Krankenkasse des Birstals (Birstal Health Insurance Fund) in the canteen of the pottery factory in Laufen, by a number of industrialists from the Laufental region. This was shortly after the end of the First World War, a period marked by economic and social crises, and the Spanish flu had claimed around 25,000 lives in Switzerland, plunging health insurance funds into financial difficulties. The Birstal fund weathered these challenges. Founding enterprises included the Portland cement factory in Laufen (closed in 1922), the Liesberg cement and lime works, the Neue Birstaler Portland cement factory in Liesberg, the Laufen pottery factory, the H. Scheidegger cork factory in Laufen, and the A.-G. Schweiz. Pfeifen- und Stockfabrik Laufen. Over the years, more companies from the Jura region joined EGK to avoid running their own company health insurance funds. In 1920, the cutlery manufacturer Wenger joined, among others. Soon the Birstal health insurance fund was also known across the language border as Caisse-maladie de la Vallée de la Birse. As late as 1928, its catchment area according to the commercial register was limited to the Birstal, Elsgau, Leimental and the districts of Arlesheim and Dorneck-Thierstein. With the expansion of its business area to the whole of Switzerland, it changed its name in 1966 to Die Eidgenössische Kranken- und Unfallkasse. Before that, monthly premiums were collected by local section leaders at the homes of the insured. The successful shift towards health promotion and complementary medicine led to a further name change in 1990 to Eidgenössische Gesundheitskasse. In 1995, the SNE Foundation for Natural Healing and Empirical Medicine was founded to strengthen the importance of complementary medicine. EGK is organised as a foundation and is headquartered in Solothurn. At the end of 2021, it had around 86,000 insured persons in basic and supplementary insurance. Today, EGK offers basic insurance under the Swiss health insurance law (KVG) and supplementary insurance, with a special focus on complementary medicine. Its product range includes EGK-SUN (supplementary insurance with unrestricted access to complementary medicine and free choice of hospital, including EGK-ParaPhone advisory service), EGK-TelCare (telemedicine model with round-the-clock access to Medgate), and EGK-Care (GP-centred model). It also provides digital services through the myEGK portal and app.

• 2021

  Around 86,000 insured persons in basic and supplementary insurance.

• 1995

  SNE Foundation for Natural Healing and Empirical Medicine founded to strengthen complementary medicine.

• 1990

  Renamed Eidgenössische Gesundheitskasse following shift towards health promotion and complementary medicine.

• 1966

  Renamed Die Eidgenössische Kranken- und Unfallkasse as business expands nationwide.

• 1928

  Catchment area still limited to Birstal, Elsgau, Leimental and districts of Arlesheim and Dorneck-Thierstein.

• 1920

  Cutlery manufacturer Wenger and other companies join the fund.

• 1919

  Founded on 22 March as Krankenkasse des Birstals in Laufen.

Independent Swiss health insurer specialising in complementary medicine, with a focus on personal responsibility, simplicity and quality.

• EGK-SUN

  Supplementary insurance offering unrestricted access to complementary medicine and free choice of hospital, includes EGK-ParaPhone advisory service.

• EGK-TelCare

  Telemedicine model offering round-the-clock access to Medgate by phone, video or app, available worldwide.

• EGK-Care

  Model for those who value a regular GP practice as first point of contact.

• myEGK

  Online portal and app for managing health insurance, submitting claims, prescriptions, documents and QR sheets digitally.

1. 1EGK-Health Insurance | Health insurance for complementary medicineegk.ch
2. 2The history of the EGK-Health Insuranceegk.ch
3. 3EGK-Health Insurance: Your partner for your healthegk.ch
4. 4Insurance documents from EGK: Simply explainedegk.ch
5. 5EGK-Gesundheitskassede.wikipedia.org
6. 6EGKwikidata.org