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Not all psychologists are allowed to bill their services through basic insurance. Therapy places that are urgently needed are disappearing. And the affected therapists lose revenue.
The so-called arrangement model has been in force for psychological treatments since the beginning of the year. Psychologists can therefore settle their own accounts with the basic health insurance; if they meet the requirements defined by the legislator. Many therapists face an uncertain future.
For example, the Zurich movement therapist Elsbeth Hürlimann. “It means a big hole. I don’t know how this will continue.” Hürlimann has been working with people who suffer from eating disorders for 30 years. Long at the University Hospital Zurich, for more than 20 years as a therapist in delegation. This means that her training was tested and she was approved. That’s why she was able to settle with the basic insurance of the health insurance companies until now.
“It’s tantamount to a professional ban”
From now on, this is only possible if you have completed a psychology degree at a university and have three years of experience in a psychotherapeutic-psychiatric facility. Hürlimann did not do her training at the university. “That actually means I can no longer work. It is tantamount to a professional ban.”
A professional ban – that is to put it drastically. The therapists can certainly continue to work: if the patients pay for the therapies themselves or have additional insurance. That’s where the catch lies, says the Biel body therapist Vatika Brigit Jacob. “Many of my clients cannot afford to pay for regular therapy themselves.”
Jacob expects about 80 percent fewer patients. Many would have to look for another therapist – a difficult task. There is a lack of therapy places across Switzerland.
Legend:
Pandemic, war, climate change and rising living costs led to insecurities: “The fears, panic attacks, that has really increased lately,” says the body therapist Jacob.
Keystone/Christian Beutler
The law and ordinance were drawn up by the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG). It says there that the new arrangement model will mean that there will be more therapy places. General practitioners or oncologists can now write their patients an order for psychotherapy with a psychologist. Previously, a psychiatrist had to delegate.
On the point of psychotherapists who can no longer bill, BAG spokesman Jonas Montani says: Clear quality requirements for the training and further education of therapists were expressly desired and endorsed by the Federal Council and the associations.
Psychiatrist Eva Mokros basically agrees. She thinks the units created are good. But: «For the existing therapists who have been in the profession for many years and have a lot of experience, the experience is set equal to zero. I don’t think that makes sense and it’s also not fair.”
Mokros and the therapists concerned should have defined exceptions. For example, continue the previous delegation model for older therapists. The BAG does not specifically address this argument. It is repeated that all those involved would have liked clear criteria for approval.
How many psychotherapists are affected across Switzerland cannot be quantified because they have no association. For people like Vatika Brigit Jacob, anger and disappointment remain: “What I and we all gave was not appreciated. The uncertainty is very difficult to endure.”