Starting in 2026, psychological treatments will be fully covered by the public health insurance in Austria, facilitating access to psychological support.

Austria will implement a significant change in the healthcare system by including clinical psychological treatment as a fully covered service by public health insurance starting in 2026. The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) has announced that patients will no longer have to pay in advance for these services, thus facilitating access to psychological support, in the context of a constant increase in demand for mental health. Until now, individuals seeking state-reimbursed treatments faced long waiting lists and high costs, but this new measure will provide approximately 120,700 treatment units annually, managed through a central service point.

The president of ÖGK, Andreas Huss, emphasized the importance of this initiative for the standardization of psychosocial care, and the president of BÖP, Dr. Beate Wimmer-Puchinger, welcomed it as a decisive step for mental health in Austria. However, federal funding is guaranteed only until 2028, and the goal is to obtain permanent funding for this system.