Overview
- Protesters in Ulm demanded the 4.5% cut be reversed, with parallel rallies reported in Münster and Kassel.
- The reduction lowers pay for sessions billed to statutory insurers, and therapists say they may shift time to private patients who pay more.
- People already wait about 142 days on average from first contact to therapy start, according to 2019 data from the federal psychotherapists’ chamber.
- Therapists and trainees describe heavy strain from roughly €45,000 in training costs and warn the cut could deter new entrants and force practices to scale back.
- Policy ideas now on the table include a child and youth needs plan from Green lawmakers, coordinated matching of patients to open slots, and more group therapy to reach more people.