Overview
- Therapists across Germany, who saw fees cut 4.5% since April 1, held protests in at least 28 cities this week.
- The Health Ministry’s financial commission, in a March 31 report, urged scrapping the 15% add‑on for the first ten short‑term sessions and moving psychotherapy back into a capped budget in 2027.
- Professional bodies say the cut and the planned budget cap will shrink appointment offers and threaten some practices, and the KBV says it will challenge the fee ruling in court.
- The commission projects €95 million saved in 2027 from ending the add‑on and €90 million in 2027 rising to €480 million by 2030 from re‑budgeting, even though the field is only about 0.7% of statutory insurer costs.
- Patients already wait about five months on average to start therapy, and trainees and rural providers warn the changes will deter new entrants and push more care to private‑pay patients.