Federal Council intends to improve access to psychotherapy

The Federal Council intends to improve access to psychotherapy, especially for children and adolescents, as well as adults in crisis situations. In order to facilitate access to psychotherapeutic services and ensure adequate care, the Federal Council has proposed a change to the existing system.

The services of psychotherapists are currently covered only by compulsory healthcare insurance when provided under the supervision and in the office of a doctor. In future, psychotherapists will be able to provide their services independently within the compulsory healthcare insurance framework.

Prerequisites for psychotherapists would be a corresponding qualification, a professional licence from the respective canton and an order for psychotherapy issued by a doctor, as is already the case in, for example, the physiotherapy field (order model).

The Federal Council passed a corresponding draft of the Health Insurance Ordinance (SR 832.102) and the Healthcare Coverage Ordinance (SR 832.112.31) for consultation on 26 June 2019.

An order issued by a doctor would allow easier and earlier access to psychotherapy than the previously required prior consultation with a specialist doctor in psychiatry and psychotherapy. The Federal Council expects that this will also reduce the number of long-term therapies and chronifications.(1)

For further information on this topic please contact Andreas Wildiat Walder Wyss by telephone (+41 58 658 20 00) or email (andreas.wildi@walderwyss.com). The Walder Wyss website can be accessed at www.walderwyss.com.

Endnotes

(1) Further information is available here.