All employed citizens and their employers contribute to the system. The Office of Public Health oversees the health service and provides licences for medical and non-medical healthcare.

All resident citizens are entitled by law to equal access to healthcare.

The State System

Only citizens who are permanently resident in Liechtenstein are compelled to contribute to the healthcare fund.

Many of Liechtenstein’s employees come from neighbouring countries, but they are not obliged to contribute, if they do not have a permanent address in the country.

Employers have to register their staff with the health insurance fund when a new employee starts work.

Employees and employers pay into the healthcare fund. Dependant family members are covered by the contributions paid by employed family members.

The unemployed, old age pensioners and people on long-term sickness benefit or maternity leave do not have to pay healthcare contributions. Self-employed persons must make their own contributions.

The state fund covers most medical services including treatment by specialists, hospitalisation, prescriptions, pregnancy and childbirth and rehabilitation.

Fees

Citizens who belong to vulnerable groups of society e.g. pregnant women, war veterans, diabetics and tuberculosis patients do not have to pay any charges. Appointments with a doctor and referrals to a consultant are free.

Doctors and Health Centres

There are only around 64 GPs and consultants to serve the entire population. You can see any doctor, so long as he or she is covered by a contract with the state-funded healthcare scheme.

A doctor is called an Artzt and he is the first point of contact with the Liechtenstein health system.

Citizens can register with the doctor of their choice; however, people seeking state medical care must make sure that their doctor is contracted into the Liechtenstein scheme.

If you are treated by anyone other than a state funded doctor, you will have to pay the fees yourself.