Page 14 - DIVA_No.23_2006

First of all, let me explain
12] 2006 Diva
dependency assessment was
what we mean by dependen- not an easy task. This really
cy. It is, in fact, a limitation was pioneer work and CERN
in a person's ability to per- has decided that everybody
form a range of activities in enrolled in their health plan,
UNIQA their daily life: for instance, either young or old, can bene-
moving around in the house;
fit from this offer. The young
getting dressed or undressed; were included too as there is
washing; doing one's hair; not really an age at which one
think
eating and drinking.. becomes dependent
Dependency is one of the about the victims of serious
Here, you might end up pay-
consequences of the popula- accidents or about the conse-
ing out a huge amount of
tion living longer. Also the quences of disability, for
money if something hap-
number of the very old per- instance. After this experi-
pens. We have been able to
set up an agreement with a sons has increased in a con- ence, UNIQA Assurances SA
siderable way over the last also was asked to conduct a
large insurance group so that
our clients are not going to years: many more persons of pre-project study for Long
the so-called fourth age live Term Care for the ILO/ITU.
suffer.
amongst us. These very old We have also carried out an
persons may also be quite actuarial study into this same
It is really tailor-made for the
special needs of each client. healthy, not really needing field for the UN in Geneva.
substantial medical care, but Our experience into the Long
This is something that is not
very common among other still not be able to take care Term Care assessment is typi-
of themselves and their cally a field where UNIQA
insurance companies, which
households as if they were Assurances SA can bring
tend to offer ready-made or
forty or sixty years of age. some strong added value to its
standardized solutions that
potential clients.
do not take into considera-
Traditionally, old people
tion the special needs of the
used to be looked after by Q: Persons benefiting from
population we are serving.
the family, but today, with this long time care—can they
the evolution of modern live any where?
We offer high-quality prod-
ucts and services, as well as society, this is no longer the
case. Therefore, their needs For CERN, all these benefits
long-term value for a fair
can only be taken care of are valid all over Europe or
price. Our services are based
on close contact with our through specialized institu- even world-wide, depending
tions that provide domestic on each Organization's health
clients. We listen to them and
care, but this is, of course, scheme—no matter where
try to do everything we can
highly expensive. This is not you live. However, we have
to satisfy their needs.
health insurance as it is not noticed that the coverage for
only a consequence of ill- elderly persons in terms of
ness—but rather of old age. specialized agencies and insti-
Q: You are one of the people
better
is
in
working on the concept Dependency certainly is an tutions
upcoming social risk, that Switzerland than in many
"long-term care ", which is
provided within the CERN asks for an adequate cover- other countries. But that is the
age by the social protection choice that each one has to
Health Care Insurance
systems. I was lucky to be make.
Scheme (CHIS). Would you
be so kind as to explain what able to take part in the pilot
project that we set up for Q: What do you consider to
this is?
CERN to introduce specific be the strong points of your
measures for these persons. company?
Long-term care benefits pro-
The CERN Long Term Care
vide financial support to peo-
Scheme allows daily alloca- UINIQA Assurances SA has
ple in need of assistance over
tions and specific paramed- been awarded since 2002 the
an extended period of time
ical benefits, such as provid- ISO 9001:2000 standard certi-
resulting from chronic dis-
abilities entailing impair- ing nurses and caretakers fication, which implies that
enabling concerned people there exists a certain level of
ment of their ability to func-
to remain at home or to find quality, control and trans-
tion independently in their
appropriate nursing homes parency. Let me give you
daily lives. People of all ages
where their medical needs some examples: we reimburse
may need long-term care.
are taken into consideration. medical costs within five
However, it is expected that
older people will be the pri- days, either here in
I can assure you that merely Switzerland or world-wide.
mary beneficiaries of long-
defining the criteria for We also recently carried out a
term care.