Physiotherapists: 112k signatures for higher rates, cantonal petitions

Context

In brief

• Physioswiss collected 112,000 signatures for higher physiotherapy fees
• 26 cantonal petitions delivered in October for a minimum 30% increase
• Objective: to cover study costs and ensure access to care close to home
• New 5-minute interval tariff model from 2027

Key Facts

• What: Petitions for physiotherapy fee increase
• When: October 2024 (petition submission)
• Who: Physioswiss (trade association)
• How much: Increase required at least 30%
• Signatures: 112,000 throughout Switzerland
• Petitions: 26 at cantonal level
• Director: Osman Bešić
• New model: From 2027, billing at 5-minute intervals

The trade association Physioswiss has collected 112,000 signatures throughout Switzerland in support of higher fees for physiotherapy. Twenty-six cantonal petitions will now be submitted to the competent authorities in the course of October, the association said in a statement. Deliveries have already taken place in Neuchâtel and Zug.

The central request: plus 30 percent

Specifically, the association is calling for a fee increase of at least 30 percent. According to Physioswiss, this would allow practices to cover operating costs and pay fair salaries. A prerequisite, the statement highlights, to ensure access to physiotherapy care for all patients in the vicinity of their home. "Now the cantons are called upon to take the economic reality of physiotherapy practices seriously and to set fair rates," says director Osman Bešić, quoted in the note.

Antecedents: the 2023-2024 conflict

As early as 2023, the industry had drawn attention to its financial situation. At that time, Physioswiss had collected 283,000 signatures against a tariff intervention planned by the Federal Council, which was then implemented in spring 2024. This triggered an internal conflict that led to the creation of a new association called Prophysio. A new tariff model, which is expected to come into force in 2027, proposes a switch to performance-based pricing with a time component: physiotherapy services will be billed at five-minute intervals. The current petitions, on the other hand, concern the setting of cantonal tariff point values.

Operational details

Impact on patients and the healthcare system

The requested tariff increase of 30% would have a direct impact on the KVG/KVG system. Physiotherapy services are reimbursed by compulsory health insurance on medical prescription. An adjustment of the cantonal tariffs of the tariff point would result in higher costs for health insurers, which could be reflected in the 2026 premiums. The cantons, which are responsible for setting the point values, will have to balance the sustainability of the studies with the burden on the winners.

Comparison with the situation 2023

The current signature collection (112,000 signatures) is lower than in 2023 (283,000), when the opposition was directed against federal intervention. Today, petitions target the cantonal level, where the value of the tariff point is decided. The fragmentation into 26 separate petitions reflects the federal architecture: each canton sets its own point value, creating territorial disparities that physiotherapists have been denouncing for some time.

The new 2027 model: opportunities and risks

The transition to billing at five-minute intervals from 2027 introduces a time component that should better remunerate the complexity of treatments. Physioswiss defends this novelty. However, the transition requires management adjustments in practices and new tariff agreements between trade associations and insurers. Until 2027, the values of the cantonal point remain the main lever for economic sustainability.

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

What happens now: calendar and actors

The petitions have been or will be delivered to the cantonal governments and parliaments by October 2024. Each canton will follow its own procedure: in some cases the government can decide directly, in others the approval of the legislature is required. Decision times vary from a few months to over a year. Physiotherapists and patients can monitor the process by contacting the cantonal health department or by consulting the website of the local Grand Council.

How to orient yourself as a patient

Anyone who receives physiotherapy on prescription does not pay the tariff directly: health insurance reimburses less the deductible and the deductible (10%). A tariff increase does not change the patient's share per session, but affects the overall costs of the system and thus future premiums. Checking the coverage of your health insurance company and comparing premiums remains the main tool.

Useful tools

To estimate the impact on personal premiums and compare KVG options, use our comparator. To understand how health care rates affect your household budget, try the cost of living calculator.

Confronta i premi cassa malati | Calcola il costo della vita in Svizzera

Source: swissinfo.ch