What is my Optical Credit Balance?

Each member has an optical credit CHF 525 per year cumulative over 2 years (ie a total maximum of CHF 1,050) except for new members during the first year of affiliation for whom the calculation is in prorate to the number of months of affiliation. Optical care is reimbursed at 80% up to the credits available when the purchase has been made.

It is imperative to note that expenses will always erode the credit of the year in which the expenses were encountered first. Should this be insufficient then any carried over credit from the previous year will be further eroded.  This basically means that if you have expenses of CHF 525 or more any given year you will not carry over anything to the next year.

For Example:

2022 credit carried over to the next year CHF 525

2023 starting credit CHF 525 + CHF 525 carried over for a total of CHF 1,050

In 2023 optical expenses totalling CHF 700.

CHF 525 are offset against the 2023 credit and then the remaining CHF 175 from the 2022 carry over. Although total expenditure is CHF 700 there will be no carry over to 2024 because the 2023 credit was entirely used up and the 2022 balance cannot be brought forward another year past 2023.

Attention: for temporary staff with contracts of less than 3 months, optical care is excluded.

For staff and members and their family who have been insured under a seperate health plan of an organization part of the United Nations system for at least three year prior to joining UNSMIS, dental and optical credits of the current year are opened at date of affiliation, rather than accruing on pro-rated basis.

Example : a staff member who was insured with a New York plan for more than three years and joins the Society on 1 May will have the following credits : dental : CHF 2,500.- ; optical : CHF 525.