Check-up blood test vs. preventive blood test: what is the real difference?

The role of your GP in the Swiss healthcare system

It is important to start with a clear distinction: Swiss GPs are highly trained specialists in primary care. If you have acute pain, a sudden infection, or a chronic illness like hypertension, your “Hausarzt” is often the first one to call. They are experts in clinical reasoning and pathology.

However, GPs operate within the strict regulatory framework of the KVG (basic health insurance) law. This law mandates that all treatments covered by basic health insurance must satisfy the WZW criteria: they must be Effective (Wirksam), Appropriate (Zweckmässig), and Economical (Wirtschaftlich).

For a healthy person with no specific symptoms, an extensive blood panel rarely meets the "Economical" or "Appropriate" criteria in the eyes of basic insurance. This places your GP in a specific role: the guardian of public health resources. Following initiatives like 'Smarter Medicine' (Choosing Wisely), GPs are guided to avoid testing asymptomatic individuals to prevent false alarms and unnecessary treatments. While this is scientifically sound for population health management, it creates a conflict for the individual who wants to proactively investigate their own biology, even if the statistical probability of acute disease is low.

Therefore, the standard check-up (Vorsorgeuntersuchung) in Switzerland is in most cases designed to diagnose disease – such as advanced Type 2 Diabetes, severe anemia, or symptomatic heart disease – rather than early detection and prevention. 

At Ahead Health, we work with our Swiss medical advisory board to go beyond the tests approved by KVG, allowing your GP to focus on what they do best: treating patients who need medical care.

What does a blood test cost in Switzerland?

Pricing can be a confusing aspect of the Swiss healthcare system. If you decide to bypass the insurance restrictions and pay out-of-pocket (Selbstzahler) for a comprehensive check-up at a doctor's office, the final bill can come as a surprise.

To understand the true cost, you have to look at how the bill is constructed. In the traditional system, you are not just paying for the test; you are paying for the time and the infrastructure via the TARMED (from 2026 onwards TARDOC) tariff system.

1. The consultation (TARMED positions)

Doctors bill their time in 5-minute increments. A standard preventive consultation often involves a medical history (Anamnese), a physical exam, the blood draw itself, and a follow-up appointment to discuss results. This typically amounts to 20 to 30 minutes of medical time.

At a typical tax point value (which varies by canton), this time alone can often cost at least CHF 130 to CHF 160.

2. The administrative overhead

Every time a sample is sent to a laboratory, a mandatory federal "order fee" (Auftragstaxe) applies. This covers the logistics of sample handling and reporting. This fee is roughly CHF 20 to CHF 30.

3. The laboratory analysis

Finally, there is the cost of the analysis itself, regulated by the Federal Analysis List (Analysenliste). While some basic tests are cheap, advanced markers add up quickly.

• Vitamin D: ~CHF 45

• Active B12: ~CHF 25

• Hormone panels: ~CHF 15 to 40 per hormone

The total: If you were to ask your GP to replicate the Ahead Health Advanced blood test (over 80 biomarkers) as a self-pay patient, the lab costs alone easily exceed CHF 400 to 500 depending on the laboratory. When you add the TARMED consultation fees and administrative costs, the total bill can be even higher.

At Ahead Health, we bundle these costs. By focusing specifically on prevention and using technology to streamline the process, we provide a range of blood tests, e.g., our Advanced blood test with over 80 biomarkers, including the blood draw, a physician's review, the medical history, and a comprehensive health report and action plan, for a price of CHF 299. 

You can also complement the Advanced blood test with our add-ons, e.g., Omega 3&6, Essential B-Vitamins, or Hormones (for men or women) blood tests.

How much does a blood draw cost in a laboratory?

Some patients try to skip the doctor's consultation fee by going directly to a walk-in laboratory or blood clinic. While this avoids the cost of the medical consultation, it does not eliminate all fees.

When you walk into a private lab for a blood draw, you are billed for specific technical services:

• The collection fee: The physical act of drawing blood is a specific TARMED position, costing between CHF 5 and CHF 10.

• The order fee: As mentioned above, the mandatory Auftragstaxe of ~CHF 25 applies to every single order, regardless of whether you order one test or fifty.

This means that even when you take the blood test privately and skip the doctor’s consultation, you still pay roughly CHF 30 to CHF 35 in "base fees" before a single drop of blood is actually analyzed. From there, you pay the "à la carte" price for every marker. A simple check of three or four vitamins can quickly cost over CHF 150. 

Furthermore, direct lab reports are often delivered as raw PDF data without context or doctor’s review, leaving you to interpret complex reference ranges on your own.

Which 5 blood values are important?

If you are looking to move beyond the standard check-up, you need to look at markers that can help detect potential early warning signs, not just current disease. Which ones are important to you depends on several factors, including your age, gender, medical history, and goals. 

Below are five biomarkers that can be helpful for early detection and longevity but might be omitted in standard check-ups unless you have specific symptoms or increased risk. 

1. Apolipoprotein B (ApoB): For decades, we have relied on LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") to assess heart risk. While LDL is useful, it is an imperfect metric. It measures the concentration (weight) of cholesterol, but not the number of particles carrying it.

• Why it matters: ApoB provides a direct count of the number of atherogenic particles in your blood. Every single particle that can clog your arteries carries exactly one ApoB molecule. You can have "normal" LDL but high ApoB, a condition that significantly increases your risk of heart disease. We test this as standard because it is a particularly helpful measure where LDL underestimates cardiovascular risk.

2. Fasting insulin (HOMA-IR): Standard diabetes screenings often rely on fasting glucose and/or HbA1c. However, these are lagging indicators; they typically only rise after your metabolic function has already been compromised for some time. 

• Why it matters: We measure fasting insulin to calculate your HOMA-IR score, which assesses insulin resistance. This is one of the most important markers in early detection of Type 2 Diabetes. Your glucose levels can stay normal for years while your pancreas overworks to produce massive amounts of insulin to keep them there. High fasting insulin is the earliest warning sign of metabolic dysfunction, often appearing a decade before Type 2 Diabetes.

3. Thyroid health (TSH, free T3, free T4): A standard GP check-up frequently stops at measuring thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). While TSH is a useful screening tool, it is merely the brain's signal to the thyroid, not the active hormone your cells actually utilize. 

• Why it matters: We look at the full picture, including the active hormones free T3 (fT3) and free T4 (fT4). You can have "normal" TSH levels but still struggle to convert the inactive hormone (T4) into the active form (T3) that powers your metabolism. This discrepancy may explain fatigue or weight retention in patients whose TSH levels are within the normal range.

4. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP): Inflammation can be a strong contributor to many modern diseases, from heart disease to metabolic disorders.

• Why it matters: Standard CRP tests only detect massive inflammation (like an infection). High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) detects low-grade, chronic inflammation, the kind caused by stress, poor diet, or visceral fat. It acts as a warning light for your lifestyle, and may warn of potential damage to your blood vessels before a heart attack occurs.

5. Vitamin D: Despite being crucial for bone density, immune function, and mood regulation, vitamin D is rarely tested in standard check-ups.

• Why it matters: In Switzerland, nearly 50% of the population have Vitamin-D deficiency during the winter months. Still, insurance guidelines often restrict reimbursement for vitamin D-tests. Knowing your level is the only way to supplement accurately. Guessing may lead to taking too little or too much.

Which blood values should I get checked?

While the five markers above are all important, a true preventive strategy looks at the body as an interconnected system. The Advanced blood test from Ahead Health covers over 80 measured and calculated markers. To get a complete picture, you should ensure the following systems are included:

The "silent organ" panel

Your liver and kidneys are resilient; they rarely complain until significant damage is done.

• Liver enzymes (GGT, ALAT, ASAT): Fatty liver disease is becoming common even among non-drinkers due to sugar consumption and unhealthy eating habits. GGT is particularly important as a sensitive marker for liver stress and toxin load.

• Kidney markers (creatinine, eGFR, urea): Your kidneys act as your body's filtration plant. Creatinine is a common measure, but it can be misleading if you are very muscular (false alarm) or have low muscle mass (false security).

• Metabolic waste products (uric acid): High uric acid – which is often related to gout – can also be an early warning sign for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk, often rising years before blood pressure does.

• Bilirubin: Beyond liver health, bilirubin levels can indicate how well your body breaks down old blood cells. Slightly higher levels of bilirubin are sometimes linked to better cardiovascular protection, making this a nuanced marker to understand.

• Synthesis function (albumin, total protein): This measures your liver's ability to build things. Albumin carries hormones and vitamins throughout your body; if it’s low, your body’s transport system is compromised.

The metabolic engine

• 2. HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin): A standard check-up may measure fasting glucose. This tells you what your blood sugar is right now – a point estimate – but not how it has been doing in the past few months. HbA1c is like a time machine; it shows your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It is the gold standard for detecting metabolic issues and "pre-diabetes" years before the disease fully develops.

• Blood sugar: In addition to HbA1C, as mentioned above, we also recommend measuring fasting blood glucose as a snapshot of your sugar levels right now. Essential, but only part of the story.

• Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): LDH is a general marker for tissue stress and energy turnover. Elevated levels in a healthy person can point to hidden tissue damage or intense recovery needs after exercise.

Cardiovascular and lipids

• Complete lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides): As mentioned above, lipids have historically been key markers to determine cardiovascular risk, and they remain important markers today.

• Hematology (blood health):

  • Complete blood count (CBC): The CBC is the "operating system check" of your blood. It goes beyond anemia and can reveal hidden chronic infections and nutrient absorption issues..

  • Erythrocyte indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW): These indices tell us the quality of your red blood cells. High MCV can indicate B12/folate issues, while low MCV points to iron deficiency, helping us pinpoint the root cause of fatigue.

Comprehensive iron panel: 

• Ferritin (iron storage): Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia, which often results in unexplained and persistent fatigue, especially in women. Ferritin measures your stored iron reserves. You can have normal hemoglobin but low ferritin, leading to hair loss, fatigue, and "brain fog." Conversely, high ferritin can indicate inflammation or Hemochromatosis (iron overload), a genetic condition common in Europe that can damage the liver if left untreated.

• Iron and transferrin: In addition to ferritin, we also recommend testing iron and transferrin to get a comprehensive picture of your iron levels and help detect potential deficiencies. 

Immune and inflammation markers

• Complete differential blood count (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils): This breaks down your immune system into important components. It helps measure your immune strength and distinguish between a viral defense, a bacterial battle, or even silent chronic allergies that might be draining your energy.

• Extended electrolytes and minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate): These minerals are essential for regulating nerve signals and muscle function. Even minor imbalances can impact your daily performance, causing fatigue, cramps, or irregular heartbeats. Magnesium deserves special attention, as it is frequently depleted by stress yet rarely measured in standard check-ups.

Pancreatic enzymes

• Amylase and lipase: These enzymes break down your food. Monitoring them helps ensure your digestion is efficient and checks for low-grade pancreatic stress, which can be a precursor to more serious digestive issues.

Going deeper: The markers that define how you feel

Beyond the organs, blood and metabolic panels listed above, there is a layer of chemistry that dictates your daily experience, such as your energy, your mood, and your focus. A comprehensive check-up should look deeper into these drivers of vitality. At Ahead Health, we offer a range of add-ons to our Advanced blood test, looking further into your vitamin B levels, hormones and fatty acids.

The B-vitamin complex (energy and methylation)

You rely on Vitamin B12 to create healthy red blood cells and keep your nervous system firing. We measure vitamin B12 (cobalamin) to ensure your levels are sufficient to support these critical functions.

While often discussed in the context of plant-based diets, B12 absorption naturally becomes less efficient as you age. This makes tracking your baseline levels essential regardless of your diet.

• Why context matters: We also check folate (vitamin B9). Together with B12, it is critical for “methylation”, a process that repairs DNA and produces neurotransmitters. If you have normal B12 but low folate, the system breaks down. Deficiencies here can cause anemia and are also linked to depression, cognitive decline, and chronic fatigue. By looking at both, we can help you get a clearer picture of your energy metabolism.

The hormone panel (drive and balance)

Hormones are the chemical messengers that tell your body whether to build muscle, store fat, or sleep. In addition to TSH, T3 and T4 – which are included our Advanced blood test – Ahead Health also offers a hormone blood test for men and women, looking deeper into your hormonal levels:

• Testosterone (total and free): Vital for both men and women, testosterone drives muscle mass, bone density, and motivation. We measure free testosterone because it represents the bioactive fraction actually available to your cells, which can be low even if "total testosterone" appears normal. Knowing your baseline allows you to intervene with lifestyle changes (like sleep and resistance training) before levels drop to a range requiring medical therapy.

• Estradiol (E2): A primary estrogen critical for bone health, brain function, and cardiovascular protection. In men, it helps balance testosterone; in women, it regulates the menstrual cycle and mood. Deviations here are often linked to fatigue and metabolic changes.

• Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS): Produced by the adrenal glands, DHEAS is a precursor used to build other sex hormones. It serves as a key indicator of adrenal function and "physiological reserve," often declining with chronic stress and aging.

• Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG): This protein transports hormones in the blood but renders them inactive while bound. Measuring SHBG is crucial to context: high levels of SHBG can "trap" your testosterone, causing symptoms of deficiency despite normal levels of total testosterone.

Our hormone test for women also includes follitropin, lutropin and progesterone. At Ahead Health, we primarily test these values in women based on clinical utility. In women, these markers follow a predictable cycle that answers specific questions about fertility and menopause. In men, they are generally stable and only tested if a primary problem (like low testosterone or infertility) is first identified.

• Follitropin (FSH) & Lutropin (LH): These are the command signals sent from the brain (pituitary) to the ovaries. Testing them helps determine if a hormonal imbalance is caused by the reproductive organs themselves or by the brain's control center. 

• Progesterone: Often referred to as the "calming hormone," it plays a vital role in sleep quality and mood stabilization for women. It is frequently the first hormone to become depleted during periods of high stress or perimenopause.

The Omega-3 Index (inflammation control)

We often hear that "fats are bad," but the type of fat is what matters. The modern Western diet is incredibly high in Omega-6 fatty acids (found in seed oils and processed foods) and low in Omega-3s (found in fish).

• The ratio: This imbalance drives chronic inflammation. We test your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio. A high ratio is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease and neurological issues. Unlike cholesterol, which is largely genetic, this is a marker you can rapidly improve with diet and supplementation, but  you need a starting point to know how to improve these values (Bishehkolaei M, Pathak Y, 2024).

Comparison: Ahead Health vs. a standard blood check-up

To clarify exactly what you are getting, it helps to look at the MediX guidelines, which many Swiss GPs follow to determine what is medically necessary. These guidelines are rigorous and evidence-based, but they are also designed to be cost-effective for the population.

A guiding principle in Swiss basic health care insurance is the avoidance of unnecessary costs. A test is often considered "unnecessary" if the statistical probability of finding a severe disease (the Vortestwahrscheinlichkeit) is low.

The "Do not test" list from MediX

For an asymptomatic person (someone who feels healthy), the Medix guidelines explicitly recommend against screening for many markers that are popular in the prevention, longevity and wellness space. Here is a breakdown of some of what is excluded and why:

• Vitamin D: "Not recommended as screening" unless you belong to a high-risk group (e.g., severe osteoporosis).

  • Why? Since deficiency is so common (approx. 50%), the Federal Commission for Nutrition (EEK) suggests it is more cost-effective to recommend a general daily intake of 600–800 IU of Vitamin D for all adults rather than paying for tests. However, blind supplementation involves guesswork. Testing allows for precision dosing –ensuring you take enough to reach the target level without risking toxicity.

• Vitamin B12: "Not recommended as screening" without concrete suspicion of deficiency.

  • Why? The guidelines state that "fatigue" alone is not a valid indication for measuring Vitamin B12. At Ahead Health, we look at active B12, and measure it in combination with B9 and other markers to get a more comprehensive view.

• Testosterone: "Use very reservedly." Only recommended if there is clinical evidence of hypogonadism (clinical deficiency).

  • Why? The guidelines state that routine screening is discouraged because the "long-term benefit and safety of substitution therapy" for age-related decline (age-related hypogonadism) has not been proven. At Ahead Health, we don’t look at testosterone for replacement purposes, but to see how testosterone levels in combination with other values may help explain certain symptoms, and what lifestyle changes might help prevent medical intervention.

• Cholesterol: Not recommended for men under 40 or women under 50 unless there are other risk factors.

  • Why? Screening outside these age groups (or above age 75) is classified as an "unnecessary lab test" by the guidelines, as the pre-test probability of finding actionable disease is considered too low to justify the cost for the public healthcare system. As a private individual, you do not have to wait for the basic insurance to cover this, and can take actions earlier.

• Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH): Routine screening is not recommended without suspicion of thyroid disease. 

  • Why? The guidelines emphasize that testing without a clear hypothesis leads to false positives and unnecessary follow-up costs. At Ahead Health, we believe that testing TSH – ideally combined with T3 and T4 – may help to identify potentially poor hormone conversion or suboptimal function also before it progresses to a state that requires lifelong medication.

The Ahead Health approach: optimization vs. limitation

Your GP follows these rules because they are, among other things, responsible for the collective costs of the healthcare system. If they test everyone for everything, premiums rise. This is a responsible approach for public health.

However, you are an individual, not a population statistic.

If you want to know your vitamin D level to optimize your immunity in winter, or check your testosterone to improve your gym performance, you fall outside the "WZW" (effective, appropriate, economical) criteria of basic insurance.

At Ahead Health, we serve the ones who want to move from "not sick" to "optimal." We offer these tests not because we suspect you are sick, but because we believe that optimizing these levels can profoundly impact your quality of life. Importantly, we offer these tests not to replace the GP check-up, but to complement it. 

Why "Normal" is not enough

The fundamental difference lies in the definition of success. For a GP operating under the Medix guidelines and KVG, success might be a patient who is "stable" and requires no acute intervention. Let’s look at Type 2 Diabetes as an example:

• The GP check-up test: Measures fasting glucose and maybe HbA1c against a diagnostic reference range. If it is in the normal range you do not currently meet the criteria for a diabetes diagnosis.

• The Ahead test: Measures metabolic function against preventive targets. We look at HbA1c and fasting insulin to see if your body is struggling to maintain that 'normal' glucose level. A value can be clinically 'normal' but still indicate a trajectory toward future disease. We aim for optimal stability, not just the absence of a diagnosis.

Why this matters for your future

The Swiss healthcare system is designed to catch you when you fall. It is an excellent safety net, and your GP is the expert casting that net. But you shouldn't have to wait until you fall to understand your health.

Preventive testing is about shifting your mindset from "am I sick?" to "how well am I functioning?" By tracking advanced biomarkers like ApoB and insulin, you gain the ability to make micro-adjustments to your lifestyle today that can potentially pay off dividends in twenty or thirty years.

We see ourselves as a partner to your GP. We provide the deep data that they often cannot order within the constraints of the basic insurance system, and benefit from economies of scale when we deliver the results in a digital, interactive and actionable health report. When you bring an Ahead Health report to your next doctor's visit, you are arming your GP with a high-definition map of your health, allowing for a much more productive conversation about your long-term well-being.

Take control of your data

Don't wait for symptoms to define your health. Understand what is happening inside your body with clinical precision.

Ready to see the full picture?

Book your Advanced blood test with Ahead Health today. For CHF 299, you get a comprehensive analysis of over 80 essential biomarkers, a digital report, and a physician review—all in one seamless experience.

Book your check-up at Ahead Health

Important: While our report empowers you with data, we do not replace your physician. If our medical review team identifies critical values requiring immediate medical attention, we will explicitly guide you to seek follow-up care with your GP or a specialist.

Note: While basic insurance (KVG) generally does not cover preventive check-ups without symptoms, some supplementary insurance policies (Zusatzversicherungen) may reimburse a portion of preventive costs. We recommend checking your specific policy for "prevention" or "health account" benefits, and are happy to provide you with a pro-forma invoice to check if your supplementary insurance covers parts of the costs.