After three decades under the same tariff system, Swiss physiotherapy is preparing for a change. The new LAMal tariff structure, negotiated between Physioswiss, H+, and prio.swiss, is scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2027. Here's an overview of what awaits clinics.
Where did this reform come from?
The current tariff for physiotherapy under the Swiss Federal Law on Health Insurance (LAMal) is based on outdated principles: the tariff structure was initially agreed upon in the 1997 national agreement and approved by the Federal Council in 1998. In early 2023, the Federal Council announced its intention to adapt this structure itself, before suspending its project in spring 2024, giving the tariff partners until April 2026 to revise the agreement . H+
The challenge has been met: after nearly two years of negotiations, Physioswiss, H+ Vos Hôpitaux, and prio.swiss (the association of health insurers ) have finalized a new structure and submitted it to the Federal Council for approval on April 2, 2026, with implementation scheduled for January 1, 2027.
The key change: the end of the per-session fee
This is the most significant change for your daily administrative tasks: the shift from a flat-rate fee to a service-based fee with a time component. Physiotherapy services will be billed in five-minute units, including those covered by the Swiss Health Insurance Act (LAMal). H+
This mechanism is not unfamiliar to the profession: a comparable structure was already introduced in July 2025 in the areas of accident insurance, military insurance, and disability insurance (AA/AM/AI). The proposed LAMal structure is, in fact, heavily based on that of the CTM, which should make the transition understandable for most physiotherapists. Physioswiss physioswiss
The stated objectives of the pricing partners are: more transparent billing, fewer requests for clarification from insurers, and therefore a reduced administrative burden, with calculations based on current and representative data. The structure also incorporates new services, including fall prevention. H+ physioswiss
It is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2027, but this is not yet guaranteed.
Caution regarding the timeline: the approval process has been underway at the FOPH (Federal Office of Public Health) since early April 2026 and is expected to last at least six months. Introduction will be possible no earlier than January 1, 2027, although this date remains to be confirmed. physioswiss
It must also be said that the reform is not unanimously supported within the industry. A petition opposing it was launched almost simultaneously with the publication of the structure, and some stakeholders fear that the new, time-based system will lead to an increase in administrative formalities. Finally, the question of remuneration remains open: according to Physioswiss, a modern structure does not replace the revaluation of the tariff point values, and procedures for setting these values are underway in the cantons. Medinside + 2
Checklist for your practice
- Familiarize yourself with the logic of 5-minute units , especially if you are not yet billing in AA/AM/AI. An online rate calculator allows you to simulate the submitted structure and measure its initial impact. physioswiss
- Check your billing software. Physioswiss is informing software developers so that the new structure is available in a timely manner. If you use phyzio.ch or the agenda.ch software, you don't need to do anything: as soon as the new structure comes into effect, it will be automatically integrated and applied to your billing, as usual, just as was the case for fall prevention and the AA/AM/AI structure.
- Get trained. Practical courses are offered throughout Switzerland starting in autumn 2026, both in person (notably in Geneva on November 12, Lausanne on November 26, and Fribourg on December 3, 2026) and online (sessions in French on December 8 and 15, 2026). physioswiss
- Review your clinical documentation. A fee-for-service model with a time component requires precise tracking of procedures and durations.
- Follow the tariff news (Federal Council approval decision, point value in your canton) before making any final adjustments to your processes.
In summary
January 1, 2027 could mark the end of a nearly 30-year-old fee schedule. Billing in five-minute increments, new services, cost monitoring: the reform modernizes the framework, but requires firms to actively prepare starting this fall, while bearing in mind that the effective date still depends on federal approval.
Sources: Physioswiss, H+ Vos Hôpitaux, prio.swiss, FOPH, RTS, Medinside.
