Consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist: what care?
Verified 28 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Evolution related to the reimbursement of sessions with a contracted psychologist
Published on 1 August 2024
The My Psych Support device evolves:
- It is no longer mandatory to be referred by a doctor to receive treatment for consultations with a certified psychologist
- According to the agreement of the psychologist, 12 sessions per calendar year per person can be taken care of, compared to 8 before.
This page will be updated as soon as the texts are published in the Official Journal.
Consultations with a psychologist or psychiatrist are not reimbursed in the same way. The difference is that one is a doctor and the other is not.
The site of theDetailed health insurance reimbursements for consultations in French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion.
It exists 2 great types of "shrink" : psychiatrist (or child psychiatrist) and psychologist.
The psychiatrist is a specialist doctor. Thus, they are specially trained to make a diagnosis and prescribe drugs including psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, anxiolytics, neuroleptics, sleep aids, etc.). Care can also involve speaking and listening.
The psychologist is a university graduate, but not a doctor. He cannot so not prescribe of medicines. There are many specializations in psychology according to age groups (child psychologist, specialist in aging disorders...), field of activity (work psychologist, school psychologist...), etc.
The psychoanalyst and the psychotherapist can be a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but not necessarily.
Psychiatrist
You can consult a psychiatrist directly, without your consent attending physician. He's a medical specialist recognized under the care pathway.
Your treating doctor may also refer you to a psychiatrist as part of the care pathway.
Psychologist
You can consult a psychologist with the agreement of your treating doctor or directly. The refund will be different.
Adult
Situation | Psychiatrist | Rate | Refund Basis | Reimbursed amount (less the flat-rate contribution of €2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
16-25 year old, directly accessible | Sector 1 | €51.70 | €51.70 | €34.19 |
Sector 1 (very complex consultation) | €60 | €60 | €40 | |
Adhering to the contract for access to care | Fees with controlled overruns | €51.70 | €34.19 | |
Sector 2 | Fees available | €42.5 | €27.75 | |
Within the framework of care pathway | Sector 1 | €46.70 | €46.70 | €30.69 |
Sector 1 (very complex consultation) | €60 | €60 | €40 | |
Adhering to the contract for access to care | Fees with controlled overrun | €46.70 | €30.69 | |
Sector 2 | Fees available | €42.5 | €27.75 | |
Corresponding physician (for ad hoc follow-up) | Sector 1 | €64.00 | €64.00 | €42.80 |
Adhering to the contract for access to care | Fees with controlled overruns | €64.00 | €42.80 | |
Sector 2 | Fees available | €64.00 | €42.80 | |
Outside care pathway | Sector 1 | €52 maximum | €46.70 | €12.01 |
Adhering to the contract for access to care | Fees with controlled overruns | €46.70 | €12.01 | |
Sector 2 | Fees available | €42.5 | €10.75 |
Child under 16 years
Consulted physician | Rate | Refund Basis | Amount Refunded |
|---|---|---|---|
Psychiatrist or Child Psychiatrist, Sector 1 | €54.70 | €54.70 | €38.29 |
Psychiatrist or child psychiatrist, adhering to the contract of access to care | Fees with controlled overruns | €54.70 | €38.29 |
Psychiatrist or Child Psychiatrist, Sector 2 | Fees available | €42.5 | €29.75 |
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At a psychologist contracted with the CPAM of his place of residence
What psychologists?
The psychologist must be a liberal practitioner or be employed by a coordinated exercise facility (multiprofessional nursing home or health center).
They must also meet the conditions of experience (at least 3 years of clinical experience) and training to attest to a consolidated course in clinical psychology or psychopathology.
In addition, he must sign an agreement with the local health insurance body of his place of practice.
The list of qualified psychologists who meet these conditions is available online:
Finding a conventional psychologist
The insured freely chooses the conventional psychologist.
What kind of care?
You pay directly the psychologist after each session or at the end of several sessions (depending on the psychologist's choice):
- €50 for 1er session (assessment interview)
- €50 for each of the follow-up sessions (up to 7).
Then, the Health Insurance takes care of 60% the cost of the meetings, that is to say €30.
Your mutual or your supplementary insurance, as part of supplementary health care contracts, finances up to 40% the cost of the sessions.
What insured?
The insured must answer to the 3 conditions following:
- Be 3 years of age or older
- Having disorders
- Be referred by their treating physician or a physician involved in their management. This is a valid approach Six months.
Since July 9, 2023However, midwives can provide this psychological support:
- To their patients, in situations where follow-up seems necessary (miscarriage, post-partum depression, etc.)
- To the partner of the woman who suffered a miscarriage.
FYI
students can benefit from free sessions without advance payment.
Major
A minor mentally ill adult or psychiatric disorder may benefit from these sessions if in one the following situations:
- Mild or moderate anxiety disorders
- Mild to moderate depressive disorders
- Non-addictive misuse of tobacco, alcohol or cannabis
- Eating disorders without criteria of severity.
Patients on psychotropic treatment or bipolar or borderline patients on anti-epileptics may be referred for psychological counseling in particular to reassess the relevance of the prescribed treatments.
In this case, a psychiatrist's opinion is required.
Patients who have been on antidepressants for less than 6 months or hypnotics or benzodiazepines for less than 1 month may be referred by the following:
- Their treating physician
- Or any doctor (or midwife) who is involved in the care.
A middle finger cannot benefit of this care if his situation requires from the outset or is in the process of being taken care of by a specialist psychiatrist. Examples:
- Suicidal risks
- Severe forms of depressive or anxiety disorders
- Eating disorders with signs of severity
- Severe neurodevelopmental disorders
- Patients with a severe psychiatric history within 3 years
- Any situation of substance dependence.
The same applies to patients:
- Recognized as suffering from a long-term illness or disability on psychiatric grounds
- On psychiatric leave of more than 6 months
- Having been in one of these situations for less than two years
3 to 17 years inclusive
The minor must present a situation of mental ill-being or suffering which causes concern to the people around him.
Minors - even those who meet the eligibility criteria - cannot benefit of this care if his situation requires from the outset or is in the process of being taken care of by a specialist psychiatrist. Examples:
- Suicidal risks
- Severe forms of anxiety or depressive disorders
- Eating disorders with signs of severity
- Major withdrawal and inhibition situations
- Severe outsourced disorders
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Any situation of substance dependence
A minor cannot benefit of this support if it is in one of the following situations:
- Managed in child psychiatry or psychiatry
- Supported in ALD for psychiatric reasons
- Has been in one of these situations for less than two years
FYI
Any new referral by the clinician or midwife depends on the patient’s assessment of disorders. In order to re-evaluate and adapt the patient's management, consultation between the doctor, the psychologist and, possibly, a psychiatrist is required.
How many sessions?
This support is limited to 8 sessions per calendar year.
How are these sessions going?
The first of these sessions is devoted to an evaluation interview.
During this interview, the psychologist makes an initial assessment of the patient's needs.
The psychologist introduces the patient to the framework of the psychological support and offers him a number of sessions, according to his needs, within the limit of 8 sessions taken care of during a calendar year.
The assessment interview and the last follow-up session are written back and forth between the psychologist and the physician who referred the patient or the physician indicated by the patient.
A psychologist who believes at the end of the assessment interview or at any point in the care that the patient is under psychiatric supervision will inform the physician.
At the end of the last meeting, the psychologist shall state in the letter to the doctor whether he considers that psychological follow-up is still necessary.
Please note
the psychologist can conduct sessions by video transmission except during the assessment interview.
To a liberal psychologist not contracted with the CPAM of his place of residence
Consultation can be done directly without going through a doctor.
Unconventional liberal psychologists practice free fares not reimbursed by the Health Insurance. You can inquire with your mutual to determine if they are being taken care of.
Please note
Consultation with a psychologist in a medical-psychological center (CMP) is covered by the Health Insurance.
You can also consult a psychoanalyst or psychotherapist directly.
When these professionals are neither doctors nor psychologists, they charge free rates that are not covered by the Health Insurance.
Support for counseling sessions conducted by a psychologist
Amount of the insured person's participation for psychological counseling sessions
Psychological support: conditions for receiving care (article R162-64), 8 sessions (article R162-65), assessment interview (articles R162-66 et seq.)
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