Including psychotherapy in the basket of insured services

In the Fall of 2015, Québec’s Health and Welfare Commissioner (QHWC) announced that it would conduct public consultations on the basket of insured health services and social services. It therefore invited the public and any interested party to submit briefs on this subject by January 29, 2016. The aspects of interest to the QHWC include the various issues surrounding the basket of insured services, its content, the decision-making process involved in determining which services are included and the criteria by which decisions are taken. The QHWC report will be published in the Fall of 2016.

One of the key principles in our healthcare system is that access to care is based on medical need and not on the individual’s capacity to pay.

The Order of Psychologists of Québec submitted a brief that argues for increased access to psychotherapy services, as part of the basket of insured services, for all those who are suffering from psychological distress, not only for people who have common mental health disorders. Services should be available through referral by a doctor or by any healthcare professional who is qualified to evaluate the person’s mental health condition.

The brief by the Order of Psychologists of Québec is available only in French.