Avoid the surprises before choosing a care home.

Every Swiss nursing home bill is built the same way.

EMS costs, without the surprises.

What does an EMS actually cost a family per month?

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The gross bill is typically CHF 7,000–12,000+, but after LAMal and cantonal contributions the family usually nets around CHF 5,500–9,500 a month. If your parent's income and assets fall below the threshold, prestations complémentaires (PC) generally cover the gap — provided the file is opened correctly and on time.

Why are there three different amounts on an EMS bill?

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Every Swiss EMS bill has three layers: care (soins), largely covered by LAMal and the canton with a capped resident contribution; hôtellerie (room and board), paid by the resident at roughly CHF 180–360/day; and extras like hairdresser, special meals and transport. Comparing two homes only on the headline price misses where the real differences sit.

We can't afford the EMS — what happens? Will the family have to pay?

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First, you apply for PC, which is designed exactly for this and covers the recognised pension cost when resources are insufficient. The family is not the first payer. A child can only be asked to contribute in the narrow "dette alimentaire" case where the child genuinely lives in comfort, and only after social benefits — so the priority is always to open the PC file, not to advance money.

Do we have to spend our parent's savings before getting help?

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PC has a wealth threshold (CHF 100,000 single / CHF 200,000 couple, owner-occupied home not counted), so assets above that are used first before PC begins. This is why families should understand early how wealth is counted and "consumed" — and not assume savings are untouchable or, conversely, that nothing can be claimed.

How long is the EMS waiting list, and what do we do while we wait?

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In Geneva you don't approach homes one by one — there is a single standardised application and a centralised orientation system (BRIO), and your place on the list depends on the date your file is validated, not first contact. While you wait, a temporary stay (UATR, 5–45 days/year) or day-care bridges the gap. The practical lesson: open the file early.

What should I check in the contract before signing?

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Go through it line by line: exactly what the daily hôtellerie rate includes, which therapies are billed separately, the notice period and exit clause, who pays during a hospitalisation, the annual price-increase mechanism, and whether PC are pre-screened on admission. Most families find at least one clause they would never have accepted alone.

When should we open the PC file — before or after admission?

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As early as possible, ideally in parallel with admission, so the family doesn't have to advance cash. PC can cover the pension cost up to a recognised amount, but only once the file is open and processed; opening it late is one of the most common — and expensive — mistakes.

Does an EMS stay affect the inheritance?

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It can. Separately from the cost itself, PC received are recovered from the estate after death on the part exceeding CHF 40,000 (for PC paid from 2021, over at most ten years), with the surviving spouse exempt. It's worth knowing in advance rather than discovering it during the succession.