CM wants a negotiated solution now that only 40 percent of speech therapists are contracted | Inland

Yesterday it became known that only 40.49 percent of speech therapists join the convention. That is a landslide in the sector, as previously more than 99 percent honored the rate agreement with the health insurance funds. It is even the largest deconvention in the history of negotiations between health insurance funds and health care providers. “A writing on the wall”, says CM chairman Luc Van Gorp.

Speech therapists who follow the convention agree to a rate of 29.28 euros per half hour. Of this, 5.5 euros is a patient contribution and is therefore at the expense of the patient. The remaining 23.78 euros will be reimbursed by the compulsory health insurance. Deconventional speech therapists are free to set their own rates and may charge additional supplements. These supplements are borne by the patient. It is expected that the supplement will probably amount to 4.12 euros, bringing the total out-of-pocket cost for patients of non-conventional speech therapists to 9.62 euros per session.

The cost of speech therapy will therefore rise sharply for many families. “Children go to speech therapy several times a week. We notice that speech therapy is also one of the health care expenditures that is the first to die because of the price and the intensity of the treatment. For example, savings are made less quickly on medicines,” says Van Gorp.

The health insurance funds will soon start new negotiations on the health care budget for 2023 and the following years. There is also an increase for speech therapists on the table. But the budget for this can only be made available systematically. “In the long run, we want to reach a supported agreement. The fact that so many speech therapists do not want to follow the rates is a clear signal to the policy: are we on the right track with the way in which we arrive at conventions?”, Van Gorp wonders.

The current convention remains in force, even if only 40 percent accede. Nevertheless, the CM still hopes to reach a negotiated solution within this convention.