bag-epl-mcp 1.0.0

MCP server for the Swiss BAG electronic benefits platform (ePL): SL, GGSL, MiGeL

bag-epl-mcp

MCP server for the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) electronic benefits platform (ePL).

Enables AI models to answer questions about mandatory health insurance coverage in Switzerland — in natural language, grounded in real data.

Anchor query: "Is this medication covered by mandatory health insurance?" → epl_sl_suche: Live lookup in the Spezialitätenliste (SL)

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What is the ePL?

The elektronische Plattform Leistungen (ePL) is the BAG's new platform for three key lists of the Swiss healthcare system:

List	Purpose	Legal basis
Spezialitätenliste (SL)	Compulsory-insurance medications	KVG Art. 52
Geburtsgebrechen-Spezialitätenliste (GGSL)	Medications for congenital disorders (IV)	IVG Anhang
Mittel- und Gegenständeliste (MiGeL)	Medical devices & aids	KLV Art. 20

Tools

Tool	Description
epl_sl_suche	Search the Spezialitätenliste for a medication
epl_ggsl_abfrage	Check GGSL coverage for congenital disorders
epl_migel_suche	Search the MiGeL for medical devices
epl_gesuchseingaenge	List pending SL admission requests (transparency)
epl_rechtskontext	Legal context for coverage questions (WZW criteria)
epl_server_info	Server status and API phase information

Architecture: Three-Phase Design

Phase 1 (current)  → XML/XLSX downloads + SL website access
Phase 2 (planned)  → FHIR/IDMP API (BAG, ~2025/2026)
Phase 3 (vision)   → MiGeL + AL via ePL-FHIR (2026/2027)

The server is already useful today and will seamlessly upgrade when the BAG publishes its FHIR API.

Portfolio Synergies

Combination	Value	Rating
bag-epl-mcp + fedlex-mcp	Legal context loop: statute → concrete list	⭐⭐⭐
bag-epl-mcp + swiss-statistics-mcp	Healthcare cost analysis	⭐⭐
bag-epl-mcp + global-education-mcp	OECD special needs benchmarking	⭐

The compliance loop (strongest combination with fedlex-mcp):

1. "Must this service be covered?" → epl_rechtskontext → KVG/KLV norms
2. "What does the law say?" → fedlex-mcp → exact legal text
3. "Is it actually on the list?" → epl_sl_suche → live SL check

Installation

pip install bag-epl-mcp

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bag-epl-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["bag-epl-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Usage with Streamable HTTP (Cloud/Render.com)

MCP_TRANSPORT=streamable_http MCP_PORT=8000 bag-epl-mcp

Example Queries

# School health service use case:
"Is Methylphenidate (Ritalin) covered by mandatory health insurance?"
→ epl_sl_suche: suchbegriff="Methylphenidat"

# Special needs education:
"Which medications are covered for children with congenital disorder GG-313 (diabetes)?"
→ epl_ggsl_abfrage: geburtsgebrechen_nr="313"

# Legal compliance:
"Which laws regulate admission to the Spezialitätenliste?"
→ epl_rechtskontext: frage="Welche Gesetze regeln die Aufnahme in die SL?"

# Medical devices for inclusive schools:
"Is a wheelchair covered by mandatory health insurance?"
→ epl_migel_suche: suchbegriff="Rollstuhl"

Context: Schulamt der Stadt Zürich

This server is particularly relevant for the school system:

• School health service: Check if a pupil's medication is covered before advising families
• Special needs support: GGSL coverage for pupils with congenital disorders
• Inclusive education: MiGeL coverage for assistive devices
• HR / Stadtentwicklung: Benefits questions for city employees

Known Limitations

• Phase 1 limitation: The ePL internal API is not publicly documented. The SL website (sl.bag.admin.ch) is an Angular SPA with a private backend. Direct medication search may return no results until the BAG publishes its FHIR API.
• Fallback: All tools provide direct links to sl.bag.admin.ch for manual searches.
• MiGeL: Not yet integrated in ePL (planned 2026/2027); MiGeL tools use category matching.

Testing

# Unit tests (no live API calls):
PYTHONPATH=src pytest tests/ -m "not live" -v

# Live tests (requires network):
PYTHONPATH=src pytest tests/ -m "live" -v

Legal Notices

Data sources:

• Spezialitätenliste (SL) — Bundesamt für Gesundheit (BAG)
• KVG SR 832.10
• KLV SR 832.112.31

This server provides informational access only. For medical or legal decisions, always consult the official BAG sources directly.

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Part of the swiss-public-data-mcp portfolio.