By Anne T. T. · Published April 12, 2026 · 12 min read
The PsyTarif 581 came into force on 1 July 2022 with the prescription model (Anordnungsmodell). Since then, psychologist-psychotherapists bill directly to compulsory health insurance (LAMal). The tariff is based on alphanumeric codes — PA, PB, PE, PK, PL, PN, PW — covering each type of billable service.
In practice, these codes determine what you can bill, within what time limits, and at what rate. Yet many psychologists struggle to use them correctly, leading to invoice rejections or revenue losses. This article details each PsyTarif 581 code family with official time limits, the applicable rate, and three concrete invoice examples.
Unlike Tarif 590 (supplementary, billed in 5-minute periods), PsyTarif 581 is billed per minute at the provisional rate of CHF 2.58/min. This rate is identical for all codes, whether it is an individual session (PA010), a written report (PL010) or telephone coordination (PK010).
Trainee rate: for psychotherapists in training under supervision, a factor of 0.90 applies (effective rate: CHF 2.322/min).
PA codes cover all therapeutic services performed in the patient's presence, whether in the office or remotely (video/telephone). This is the most used family in daily practice.
| Code | Description | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PA010 | Individual therapy, in person, per 1 min | 90 min/session |
| PA011 | Individual therapy, remote, per 1 min | 90 min/session |
| PA020 | Couple therapy, in person, per 1 min | 105 min/session |
| PA030 | Family therapy, in person, per 1 min | 105 min/session |
| PA040 | Group therapy, in person, per 1 min | 105 min/session |
| PA110 | Crisis intervention, in person, per 1 min | 180 min/session |
| PA220 | Diagnostic testing, in person, per 1 min | 180 min/90 days |
| PA230 | Exposure therapy, in person, per 1 min | 360 min/180 days |
PA010 is the standard code for an individual session in the office. The one you will use most often.
PA011 applies to video or telephone sessions. The limit remains identical (90 min).
PA110/PA111 (crisis): the limit goes up to 180 min per session, for acute crisis interventions requiring extended duration.
PA220 (diagnostic testing): note, the limit is 180 min over 90 cumulative days, not per session.
Pathway B allows starting crisis psychotherapy without a prior medical prescription, with a maximum of 10 sessions. The psychotherapist must however inform a physician as soon as possible.
| Code | Description | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PB010 | Crisis / short-term therapy, in person, per 1 min | 180 min/session |
| PB011 | Crisis / short-term therapy, remote, per 1 min | 180 min/session |
Maximum 10 sessions on Pathway B. If therapy must continue beyond 10 sessions, a medical prescription (Pathway A) becomes mandatory.
PE codes cover work performed outside the patient's presence: session preparation, test evaluation, therapeutic planning and external file review.
| Code | Description | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PE010 | Session preparation and follow-up, per 1 min | 15 min/session |
| PE020 | Evaluation and interpretation of diagnostic tests, per 1 min | 240 min/90 days |
| PE030 | Written therapeutic planning, per 1 min | 15 min/90 days |
| PE040 | Third-party file review, patient >= 18, per 1 min | — |
| PE045 | Third-party file review, patient < 18, per 1 min | — |
PE010 — the most common code in this family. The 15 min/session limit is strict.
PE030 — only 15 min per 90 days. Reserved for formal treatment plan writing, not session notes.
PK codes cover exchanges with the prescribing physician, other health professionals or third parties involved in the patient's care.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| PK010 | Coordination with physicians/psychologists, patient >= 18, per 1 min |
| PK015 | Coordination with physicians/psychologists, patient < 18, per 1 min |
| PK020 | Coordination with third parties, patient >= 18, per 1 min |
| PK025 | Coordination with third parties, patient < 18, per 1 min |
The adult/minor distinction (>= 18 / < 18 years) appears across several PsyTarif families. For minors, coordination time is often greater in practice, which justifies separate codes.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| PL010 | Report to prescribing physician, patient >= 18, per 1 min |
| PL015 | Report to prescribing physician, patient < 18, per 1 min |
| PL020 | Psychotherapy report (other recipients), patient >= 18, per 1 min |
| PL025 | Psychotherapy report (other recipients), patient < 18, per 1 min |
PL010 is used for the mandatory report to the prescribing physician at renewal (after 15 sessions) or for the medical advisor's approval (after 30 sessions). Each minute of writing is billable: a 30-minute report = 30 × CHF 2.58 = CHF 77.40.
| Code | Description | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PN010 | Emergency admin charges (weekday, 7h-19h), per 1 min | 2 × 10 min/day |
| PN020 | 20% surcharge (night/weekend/holidays) | Flat rate |
| PW010 | Travel allowance outside office, per 1 min | 60 min/90 days |
PN020 — a 20% surcharge added to the total session amount when it takes place before 7am, after 7pm, on weekends or public holidays.
PW010 — used when the therapist travels to the patient's home or another location (hospital, care home, school). The limit covers cumulative round-trip travel time.
Example 1: Standard 60-minute individual session
Situation: adult patient in weekly follow-up, in-office session.
| Code | Duration | Total |
|---|---|---|
| PA010 | 60 min | CHF 154.80 |
| Total | 60 min | CHF 154.80 |
Example 2: 50-minute session + 15 min session prep + 30 min report
Situation: individual session followed by a progress report for the prescribing physician (renewal after the 14th session).
| Code | Duration | Total |
|---|---|---|
| PA010 | 50 min | CHF 129.00 |
| PE010 | 15 min | CHF 38.70 |
| PL010 | 30 min | CHF 77.40 |
| Total | 95 min | CHF 245.10 |
Three distinct codes on the same invoice. PE010 is capped at 15 min per session — used at maximum here.
Example 3: Crisis intervention + coordination call with physician
Situation: patient in crisis, 90-minute session on a Tuesday during the day, followed by a 12-minute call to the prescribing physician.
| Code | Duration | Total |
|---|---|---|
| PA110 | 90 min | CHF 232.20 |
| PN010 | 10 min | CHF 25.80 |
| PK010 | 12 min | CHF 30.96 |
| Total | 112 min | CHF 288.96 |
PA110 (crisis) is used instead of PA010 (standard) because the situation justifies an extended duration — the limit is 180 min instead of 90 min. If this session had taken place on a Saturday, PN020 (20% surcharge) would be added to the PA110 amount, i.e. CHF 46.44 extra.
Confusing PA010 and PA011. PA010 = in person (office). PA011 = remote (video/telephone). Insurers check code/location consistency. Billing PA010 for a video session may lead to rejection.
Exceeding the 15-min limit on PE010. Session preparation/follow-up (PE010) is capped at 15 minutes per session. Billing 20 or 30 minutes will result in rejection.
Using PA010 instead of PA110 for a crisis intervention. Result: you are capped at 90 min instead of 180 min. Any excess time will be refused.
Forgetting to bill coordination (PK) and reports (PL). Many psychologists only bill the session itself. Yet every minute spent on the phone with the prescribing physician (PK010) or writing a report (PL010) is billable at CHF 2.58/min. Over a year, these unbilled services can represent several thousand francs of lost revenue.
Billing PB (Pathway B) beyond 10 sessions. Pathway B is limited to 10 sessions. From the 11th session, a medical prescription is required and PA codes (Pathway A) must be used. Any PB invoice beyond 10 sessions will be systematically rejected.
Not distinguishing adult and minor in PK and PL codes. Using PK010 for a 15-year-old patient instead of PK015 can cause issues during audits. The «under 18» codes exist for a reason: they are tracked separately by insurers.
Can multiple PA codes be combined in the same session?
No, PA codes are mutually exclusive for the same time slot. You cannot bill PA010 + PA020 for the same hour. However, you can bill PA010 (session) + PE010 (preparation) + PK010 (coordination) on the same day, as these codes cover different services.
Will the CHF 2.58/min rate change?
The CHF 2.58/min rate has been provisional since July 2022. Negotiations between professional associations (FSP, ASP, SBAP) and insurers (curafutura, santésuisse) are ongoing to set a definitive rate. Until an agreement is ratified, the provisional rate remains in force.
What is the difference between PA110 (crisis Pathway A) and PB010 (crisis Pathway B)?
The difference is administrative, not clinical. PA110 is used within an already prescribed therapy (Pathway A) when a crisis arises. PB010 is used when there is no prescription — the patient arrives in emergency and the therapist intervenes without waiting for a medical order. Both have the same 180-min/session limit and the same rate.
PsyTarif 581 has 30 codes across 7 families. Each code has its logic: PA for in-person therapy, PB for Pathway B, PE for out-of-session work, PK for coordination, PL for reports, PN for emergencies and PW for travel. Using the right code with the right duration avoids invoice rejections and ensures you bill for all your work.
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