Physiotherapy Home Visits in Geneva: Referral, Providers and Fees
Yes, a physiotherapist can come to your home in Geneva. For the travel costs to be reimbursed by basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG), the medical prescription must include the words "at home". Providers do not all cover the same areas of the canton: check before booking. The annual deductible and co-payment apply to home visits just as they do to clinic sessions.
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Getting to a clinic is not always possible when you are in pain or coming home from hospital. In Geneva, physiotherapy can come to you. The key is knowing who offers home visits and how to organise the coverage.
Providers Who Travel to You
Home physiotherapy is available in Geneva through several structures. You can also call the home physiotherapy coordination centre on 079 440 66 76, Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 19:00 (except public holidays). It does not handle urgent requests but can direct you to available providers in your area.
The centre proposes three physiotherapists suited to your treatment and address. You then contact the chosen provider directly. Have your address, your health problem and your availability ready before you call.
Genève Physio and Activ Santé are the two structured services. Homephysio, Genève Domicile and ADPhysio work more as referral networks connecting you with independent practitioners. Genève Domicile can find English-speaking physiotherapists: mention your language preference when you first contact them.
Areas Covered
Genève Physio and Activ Santé
The two services do not cover exactly the same municipalities. Check whether your area is included before booking.
| Municipality | Genève Physio | Activ Santé |
|---|---|---|
| City of Geneva | Yes | Yes |
| Carouge, Lancy, Vernier, Meyrin | Yes | Yes |
| Chêne-Bourg | Yes | Yes |
| Grand-Saconnex | Yes | No |
| Onex, Thônex, Bernex, Cologny, Plan-les-Ouates, Chêne-Bougeries | No | Yes |
Homephysio and Genève Domicile
Homephysio serves the Arve et Lac region for people with limited mobility. Genève Domicile connects patients with physiotherapists who travel across the canton. Provide your address, your health situation and your availability at first contact.
When a Home Visit Makes Sense
Home treatment is primarily for people who cannot travel independently. The most common situations are:
- Recovery after joint replacement or surgery, once the surgeon gives the go-ahead
- Neurological conditions or stays in a care home
- Fall risk and loss of mobility
- Convalescence at home after a hospital stay
If you are unsure whether a home visit or a clinic appointment is more appropriate, your GP is best placed to decide: it is their judgement of medical necessity that makes the travel costs reimbursable.
The Referral and Reimbursement
Travel costs can only be billed to basic insurance if the prescription explicitly mentions home treatment. Ask your doctor to write "at home" or "home treatment" on the referral. Without this wording, the travel supplement is not covered.
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Without this wording, the travel costs are not reimbursed by LAMal.
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Genève Physio and Activ Santé do not serve the same neighbourhoods.
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Annual deductible (minimum CHF 300), then 10% of costs above that up to CHF 700 per year.
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After that deadline, the referral expires and a new one is needed.
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These three details let the provider organise the visit on the first call.
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Some supplementary plans reimburse part of home physiotherapy depending on the contract.
A home visit does not waive the annual deductible (minimum CHF 300 for an adult). After the deductible is met, you pay 10% of costs up to a maximum of CHF 700 per year.
Number of Sessions and Insurer Approval
The first sessions: nine per referral
One referral covers a maximum of nine sessions. After surgery, the surgeon, the hospital doctor or your GP can sign it. The first session must take place within five weeks of the prescription date: book without delay.
To continue treatment beyond the first referral:
- Once the nine sessions are used, ask your doctor for a new referral.
- Repeat for each block of nine sessions.
- Four referrals in total cover up to 36 sessions for the same condition.
Beyond 36 sessions: report and express approval
Your GP sends the insurer's medical adviser a report and a reasoned request explaining why further treatment is necessary. The medical adviser decides whether the insurer continues to pay. They also specify when the next report is due: note that date immediately.
Book a clinic appointment in Geneva
No referral needed. Precise assessment and programme adapted to your situation.
What the First Home Visit Looks Like
The first visit starts with an initial assessment. The physiotherapist evaluates your condition, then adapts the programme to your progress over subsequent sessions.
Have your address, your health problem and your availability ready before contacting the provider. The physiotherapist brings their own equipment:
- Folding mat, resistance bands and small weights
- Hygiene supplies for wound care if needed
- Electrotherapy devices or measurement tools when required
- Your chair, bed or stairs as exercise support
For a knee problem, for example, the exercises the physiotherapist prescribes at home are often the same as those given in the clinic. What differs is the supervision and the adaptation of movements to your own daily environment.
LAMal and Private Fees
LAMal tariff
A standard physiotherapy session costs CHF 51.35 at the LAMal tariff in Geneva. A travel and time supplement of CHF 36.38 is added on top. A home visit therefore costs more than a clinic session, even after partial reimbursement.
Private fees and out-of-pocket costs
| Detail | LAMal | Private |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | Remaining deductible, then 10% | Approx. CHF 150 per hour |
| Travel supplement | Covered when referral is correctly worded | Included in the hourly rate |
| Reimbursement | Yes, after deductible and co-payment | None (unless supplementary insurance) |
Ask the provider three things: the exact cost of a home session, the earliest available date, and whether your supplementary insurance covers part of the fees or the co-payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, some supplementary insurance plans reimburse part of the cost. It depends entirely on your contract. Contact your insurer with the physiotherapist's name and the type of treatment planned before booking.
Yes. Some referral services can connect you with English-speaking physiotherapists who travel across the canton. Mention your language preference at the very first contact so the search takes it into account.
Call the home physiotherapy coordination centre on 079 440 66 76. Give your address and the reason for treatment: they will suggest contacts suited to your neighbourhood and your needs, so there is no need to search on your own.
Yes, but only as a private patient with no LAMal reimbursement. A home session then costs around CHF 150 per hour, travel included. If you want to be reimbursed, a prescription with the words "at home" is required before treatment starts.
