Emmanuel Macron announced it during the Assizes of mental health and psychiatry, in September 2021: 8 annual sessions with the psychologist can now be reimbursed, from Tuesday April 5, via the platform MyPsy (Monpsy.sante.gouv.fr) for all French people aged at least three years. “The pandemic has revealed the importance of the subject of mental health”, declared the Head of State, calling for more resources in this sector. Psychologists in the liberal sector can now receive patients who will benefit from reimbursement, under certain conditions.
It is precisely these conditions that arouse debate among professionals. Tuesday, March 29, more than 2,000 psychologists co-signed a forum in The world to indicate their opposition. “Many psychologists are in favor of a mechanism for reimbursement of sessions in the name of equal access to psychological care (…) However, the MonPsy device is unacceptable and dangerous for us and for our future patients”, wrote the signatories.
First point of tension: the need to be directed to the psychologist by a general practitioner to be able to benefit from the care. A condition strongly opposed by the National Union of Psychologists (SNP), which judges it “inadequate”, because not belonging to “area of expertise of doctors”. Its secretary general, Patrick-Ange Raoult, signatory of the forum, argues in particular that this obligation can “cause additional reluctance, with a delay in taking charge”since it implies that the patient first confides in a doctor before doing so with a psychologist.
The French Federation of Psychologists and Psychology (FFPP) takes a more measured position on this point. According to its president, Gladys Mondière, it would have been necessary to find a hybrid device, leaving the choice between a passage by the general practitioner and direct access to a psychologist. “Referral has the advantage that a good number of patients who would not spontaneously go to see a psychologist will go there, because they are recommended by the attending physician”, emphasizes the psychologist, practicing in a practice in Lille. But, she ponders, “Other people don’t want to talk to their GP about their personal problems. Those, we won’t have them. »
1,300 volunteer psychologists
The patient must then consult the MonPsy platform to find a registered psychologist. Of the 18,000 liberal psychologists practicing in France, 1,300 have so far volunteered. Before appearing on the platform, their applications are examined to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria: psychologists must, for example, have practiced for at least three years. At present, 600 professionals are registered, the other files being examined.
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