Covid-19: psychological consultations soon to be reimbursed

The psychological impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is tangible: according to the results of the Doctissimo Health Barometer – 20 Minutes with YouGov published at the end of February, 39% of French people say that the health crisis has an impact on depressive thoughts (51 % of 18-24 year olds). Faced with this distress, the mutuals decided to act by announcing the reimbursement of consultations with psychologists.

Support under certain conditions

Coverage by mutual funds of the Mutualité Française (FNMF), insurers of the French Insurance Federation (FFA) and provident institutions subject to certain conditions : a minimum of four sessions with a liberal psychologist per year may be reimbursed, “from the first euro billed to the patient”,“after medical orientation” and “within a limit of 60 euros per session”, Specify the press releases of the FNMF and the FFA published on March 22. In a report delivered on February 16, the Court of Auditors had already ruled in favor of this reimbursement, to be generalized “as soon as possible“, while an experiment has been carried out for two years in four French departments (Bouches-du-Rhône, Haute-Garonne, Landes and Morbihan).

The date of entry into force of this decision is not yet known. “Complementary health organizations wish to initiate an exchange with representatives of physicians and psychologists in order to organize and facilitate the operational modalities of such an initiative.”, Explains the Technical Center for Provident Institutions (CTIP).

The “partially satisfied” psychologists

What do the latter think? Interviewed by Franceinfo, Patrick-Ange Raoult, secretary general of the National Union of Psychologists (SNP), affirms that they are “partially satisfied”Of this support, in particular because of the obligation of medical prescription for these sessions. “It slows down the process a bit when it becomes an obligation, he explains. Direct access is much more desirable in this regard. As a psychologist, we have long considered that we are sufficiently specialists in this discipline to know what is relevant at the level of interventions. Prior medical intervention is absolutely not a necessity, but rather a hindrance.”

He also hopes that this device is not only accessible in this context of health crisis: “We need long-term accessibility to psychologists for the entire population, with reimbursement terms which both allow the most disadvantaged to have access to these consultations, with sufficient flexibility, and at the same time remuneration for psychologists who simply allow them to to live.“

10 free sessions for children aged 3 to 17

On April 14, Emmanuel Macron announced that children aged 3 to 17 can also benefit from a psych package, while this population is particularly affected by the health crisis. Ten free sessions with a city psychologist will be offered to them without advance payment. In a press release published on May 4, the government announced that this device will be “operational at the end of May“.

“This emergency device is intended for children and adolescents with behavioral disorders and mild to moderate signs of psychological distress, causing concern to those around them (family, school environment, general practitioner, pediatrician, PMI for example)“, he specifies.

However, these sessions should be prescribed by a doctor (general practitioner, pediatrician, hospital, school doctor or PMI doctors). “The psychologist will be chosen by the family from a national list which will be accessible on PsyEnfantAdo.sante.gouv.fr allowing the identification of a professional practicing nearby.“

Furthermore, this device is only “transient“ and “aims to respond to emergencies“:”the child must have a prescription before October 31, 2021. The sessions must be carried out before January 31, 2022.“The government nevertheless assures that”structural and sustainable responses that can be based on the success of this system“will be offered”before the second semester“.