Disability insurance rates for the services of assistant psychotherapists

Post on: 31.03.2025

From 1 April 2025, an update of the tariff agreement for psychotherapy will come into force, which clearly establishes the reimbursement of the services provided by assistant psychotherapists, i.e. psychologists who are completing their specialization in psychotherapy.

These psychologists carry out their activity under the supervision of already qualified and licensed psychotherapists.

New regulation tariff

The current tariff agreement of the disability insurance did not provide for the reimbursement of the services provided by the assistant psychotherapists. With the new regulations, however, these benefits will be explicitly reimbursed by the disability insurance.

The annex containing these updates, the result of negotiations between the Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) and the professional associations of psychology and psychotherapy, will be applied from 1 April 2025.

Who are the assistant psychotherapists?

The Assistant psychotherapists are psychologists who, while still in specialist training in psychotherapy, work in practices or institutions under the responsibility of qualified psychotherapists authorised by the cantonal authorities.

Service invoices are issued directly by the supervising psychotherapists. According to the current provisional rules of compulsory health insurance, these benefits are reimbursed with a 10% discount compared to the standard tariffs.

Importance of the new measure

The use of assistant psychotherapists to treat insured persons with disability insurance has proven to be effective. In view of the growing need for psychotherapy, it is essential for disability insurance to ensure that there are sufficient specialists.

With this update, the FSIO aims to counteract the shortage of psychotherapeutic services. These services are essential, especially in the treatment of children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, as well as for other mental health issues.