{"id":27400519,"date":"2025-12-02T16:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T15:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindswiss.ch\/blog\/basic-insurance-vs-supplemental-insurance-in-switzerland-a-clear-comparison-for-psychotherapy\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T10:48:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T08:48:06","slug":"basic-insurance-vs-supplemental-insurance-in-switzerland-a-clear-comparison-for-psychotherapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindswiss.ch\/en\/blog\/basic-insurance-vs-supplemental-insurance-in-switzerland-a-clear-comparison-for-psychotherapy\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic insurance vs. supplemental insurance in Switzerland: A clear comparison for psychotherapy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Basic insurance vs. supplemental insurance in Switzerland: A clear comparison for psychotherapy<\/h2>\n<p>A comparative guide to understanding what covers what\u2014and how to best use them for your treatment journey.<\/p>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>When talking about psychotherapy in Switzerland, many people come across two terms that seem similar but have very different implications for your career and your wallet:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Basic insurance (LAMal\/KVG \/ AOMS)<\/li>\n<li>Supplementary insurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The difference between these two isn&#8217;t just bureaucratic: it affects what is reimbursed, how much the therapy actually costs, how much freedom you have in choosing your provider, and even how long it takes before starting treatment.<\/p>\n<p>This comparison guide will help you understand, with concrete examples and simple language:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what does basic insurance cover;<\/li>\n<li>what can supplemental insurance add;<\/li>\n<li>when and why it is convenient to activate the complementary one;<\/li>\n<li>the risks of unexpected costs;<\/li>\n<li>how to orient yourself without confusion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Basic health insurance (LAMal\/KVG \/AOMS): what it covers and how it works<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Psychotherapy reimbursed with prescription<\/h3>\n<p>From 1 July 2022, psychological psychotherapy in Switzerland is covered by basic insurance if:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>you have a medical prescription (family doctor or psychiatrist);<\/li>\n<li>The therapist is a federally recognized qualified psychotherapist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This means that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>psychological therapy has the status of a mandatory health service;<\/li>\n<li>it is no longer an optional extra;<\/li>\n<li>Reimbursement is guaranteed, with certain financial conditions (deductible + rate).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. Costs at your expense with the base<\/h3>\n<p>Psychotherapy is covered, but not completely \u201cfree\u201d:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Voice<\/th>\n<th>What does it mean?<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Deductible<\/td>\n<td>Annual amount you pay before reimbursement (300\u20132,500 CHF)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Percentage rate<\/td>\n<td>After the deductible, you pay 10% of the costs (maximum CHF 700\/year)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>This is the standard scheme: first the deductible, then the percentage.<br \/>\nThe base doesn&#8217;t cover the entire cost, but it drastically reduces it.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Who can prescribe and how<\/h3>\n<p>The prescription can be made by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>family doctor;<\/li>\n<li>pediatrician (for minors);<\/li>\n<li>psychiatrist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A clear clinical assessment of the discomfort is sufficient to obtain the prescription.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Typical duration covered<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>15 sessions in the initial prescription;<\/li>\n<li>another 15 possible with renewal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After 30 sessions, a psychiatric evaluation may be required to proceed.<\/p>\n<h2>Supplemental insurance: what it really adds<\/h2>\n<p>Supplemental insurance is optional and supplemental to the basic insurance. It doesn&#8217;t cover what the basic insurance doesn&#8217;t cover by definition, but it can broaden and improve the therapeutic experience. <\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Greater freedom in choosing your therapist<\/h3>\n<p>With basic insurance, you are linked to recognized and reimbursed psychotherapists.<br \/>\nWith supplementary insurance, you can also get contributions for professionals not (yet) recognized in the LAMal\/KVG system.<\/p>\n<p>This can be helpful if you desire specific therapeutic modalities (e.g., integrative or transdisciplinary approaches) that are not covered by the foundation.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Higher reimbursement and more generous limits<\/h3>\n<p>While the basic policy covers net of deductible and tax rate, the complementary one can offer:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>higher percentage refund;<\/li>\n<li>above franchises dedicated to psychotherapy;<\/li>\n<li>higher maximums (i.e. more CHF reimbursed per year).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This means that, even if you already have the basics, the complementary one can reduce the direct costs per session even further.<\/p>\n<h3>3. What can the supplementary insurance cover (depending on the plan)<\/h3>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Possible coverage<\/th>\n<th>Explanation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Professionals not listed under the LAMal\/KVG list<\/td>\n<td>Contributions also for therapists not recognized under the LAMal\/KVG list<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Psychotherapy for specific approaches<\/td>\n<td>e.g., complex trauma therapy, EMDR, integrative approaches<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Certificates\/attestations<\/td>\n<td>Contribution for specialized documentation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Additional treatments<\/td>\n<td>Counseling, supervision, Coaching (depending on plan)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Coverage depends on the plan you choose. Not all supplemental plans are created equal. <\/p>\n<h3>4. When is it convenient to activate a complementary insurance?<\/h3>\n<p>The complementary can make sense:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>if you undertake a long course of psychotherapy;<\/li>\n<li>if you want greater freedom in choosing the professional;<\/li>\n<li>if your basic insurance has a high deductible;<\/li>\n<li>if you want more refunds with fewer costs for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Please note: the complementary verb is used to integrate, not to replace, the base.<\/p>\n<h2>Basic or Complementary: direct comparison<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Feature<\/th>\n<th>Basic Insurance<\/th>\n<th>Supplementary Insurance<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Reimbursable psychotherapy is covered<\/td>\n<td>with a prescription<\/td>\n<td>Yes, as a supplement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Freedom of choice of therapist<\/td>\n<td>limited to recognized LAMal\/KVG (Health Insurance Act)<\/td>\n<td>can be broad<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Deductible<\/td>\n<td>Yes<\/td>\n<td>Yes, but plans with dedicated deductibles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Percentage rate<\/td>\n<td>10% (maximum CHF 700\/year)<\/td>\n<td>can reduce net costs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reimbursement limits<\/td>\n<td>linked to the base<\/td>\n<td>often higher<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coaching\/counseling coverage<\/td>\n<td>No<\/td>\n<td>possible (depending on plan)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coverage for special approaches<\/td>\n<td>Limited<\/td>\n<td>possible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Practical examples to understand the difference<\/h2>\n<h3>Example A \u2013 Standard psychotherapy with only basic<\/h3>\n<p>Marco has:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>basic insurance with a deductible of CHF 300;<\/li>\n<li>medical prescription;<\/li>\n<li>start psychotherapy with a recognized therapist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Pay the deductible + 10% of the costs (max 700 CHF\/year).<br \/>\nThe rest is covered by the base.<\/p>\n<h3>Example B \u2013 Basic + complementary psychotherapy<\/h3>\n<p>Giulia has:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>basic with deductible 2,500 CHF;<\/li>\n<li>complementary which covers part of the sessions even for unrecognized therapists;<\/li>\n<li>long and modular path.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The basic insurance covers you according to the LAMal\/KVG (Low Mal) rules.<br \/>\nThe supplementary insurance helps reduce &#8220;extra&#8221; costs and increases the CHF reimbursed.<\/p>\n<h2>Risks and limitations to be aware of<\/h2>\n<h3>1. The complement does not replace the base<\/h3>\n<p>If you don&#8217;t have the basic insurance, you can&#8217;t get reimbursed for psychotherapy under the LAMal\/KVG (Local Health Insurance Act). The supplementary insurance doesn&#8217;t cover what the basic insurance isn&#8217;t required to pay by law. <\/p>\n<h3>2. Each floor is different<\/h3>\n<p>The supplementary insurance varies greatly from one insurance company to another.<br \/>\nAlways read the contractual conditions before choosing.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Waiting period<\/h3>\n<p>Some supplemental plans have waiting periods before certain benefits are reimbursed.<\/p>\n<h2>Q&#038;A rapida<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Is psychotherapy covered without supplementary insurance?<\/strong><br \/>\nYes \u2014 if you have a medical prescription and a recognized LAMal therapist.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is supplemental insurance mandatory?<\/strong><br \/>\nNo \u2014 it&#8217;s optional and used to add coverage or increase reimbursements.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can I choose any psychologist with the basic?<\/strong><br \/>\nNo\u2014only LAMal\/KVG-recognized therapists. Other professionals require supplementary treatment. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Is online therapy covered?<\/strong><br \/>\nYes \u2014 if prescribed and with a recognized therapist.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion: How to orient yourself without confusion<\/h2>\n<p>Basic insurance is the cornerstone of reimbursement for psychotherapy in Switzerland.<br \/>\nSupplemental insurance can be a useful ally, but it is not a substitute for, and does not eliminate, the need for basic insurance.<\/p>\n<p>The golden rule is: first secure basic coverage, with a medical prescription, then evaluate the supplemental coverage based on your needs, costs, and freedom of choice.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to gain concrete guidance on which plan is best suited to your personal situation or your therapeutic needs, a targeted consultation can make all the difference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When talking about Psychotherapy in Switzerland, many people come across two terms that seem similar but have very different implications for your health and your wallet: basic insurance (LAMal\/KVG\/AOMS) and supplementary insurance&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27400395,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Comparison of basic and supplemental insurance in Switzerland","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"A comparative guide to understanding what covers what\u2014and how to best use them for your treatment journey.","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","Bibliografia":"","_mindswiss_jsonld":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[131,86],"tags":[],"dipi_cpt_category":[],"class_list":["post-27400519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-costs-and-reimbursements","category-psychotherapy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - 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