The practical guide: Card payment in occupational therapy and speech therapy practices in Switzerland

In occupational and speech therapy practices, parents often pay instead of the patients themselves – a circumstance that fundamentally influences the payment workflow. The deductible of 10% and the franchise are typically collected directly, private services in full. Terminal, Tap to Pay on Android or Payment Link via WhatsApp to the parents are the three practical solutions for Swiss solo practices.

This guide explains which amounts are collected directly in occupational and speech therapy practices, what the parent-as-payer context means for the payment solution, and which setup makes the most sense for small therapy practices.

1. Who pays what in the occupational and speech therapy practice?

Occupational therapy and speech therapy are subject to KVG under a doctor's prescription and are billed through mandatory basic insurance. This means: The health insurance covers the main part of the costs – but not everything. Patients bear the annual franchise (at least CHF 300 for adults, for children the franchise has been abolished from 2026) and the deductible of 10% after deduction of the franchise.

The situation is special for children: Since 2006, children up to age 18 have been exempt from the franchise. For children under 18, only the 10% deductible applies – which results in around CHF 8 per session for an occupational therapy session of CHF 80 in health insurance tariff. For adults (e.g. in adult occupational therapy after a stroke), the franchise applies.

The crucial point for the payment solution: In pediatric practices, the parents are almost always the paying parties. The child is the patient, the father or mother pays. This means: A terminal in front of the child is impractical; a Payment Link via WhatsApp to the parents is more elegant and also works when the parents are not even present at the session.

2. The parent-as-payer context: What this means for the payment solution

When parents bring their child to occupational therapy or speech therapy, three scenarios are typical: the parent waits in the waiting room and pays when picking up, the parent brings the child and leaves again, thus not paying on-site, or the child comes alone (older school children) and the parents are not in the practice at all.

In the second and third scenarios, a terminal is useless. The Payment Link via WhatsApp or email after the session is the only practical solution: after the session, the therapist sends a link to the parent, who pays comfortably in the evening from the sofa. This also works if the amount is only determined after the session – for example, if the session was shorter or additional services were added.

For practices with a reception and parents who regularly wait: Terminal or Tap to Pay on Android. For practices without a reception or with a mobile therapist: exclusively Payment Link and Tap to Pay Android for home visits.

3. Terminal, Tap to Pay or Payment Link: What fits the occupational/speech therapy practice?

POS terminal at the reception

Card terminals make sense for practices with a reception area and parents who wait or pick up. The Nexgo N6 or N86 is currently free of charge in the rental model (regularly CHF 25/month, requires Standard or Premium plan). Accepts cards, TWINT, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay.

Tap to Pay on Android

Turns an NFC-enabled Android smartphone (Android 8.1+) into a terminal without hardware. Ideal for practices without a reception – the therapist collects payments directly in the treatment room or during home visits. Available in all plans including Free. iPhone is not supported. Fees: Debit 0.95%+CHF 0.15 / Credit 1.25%+CHF 0.15 / TWINT 1.25%+CHF 0.00 (as of May 2026).

Payment Link via WhatsApp to the parents

The Paylink is created in the Payrexx Dashboard and sent to the parent via SMS or WhatsApp after the session. The amount can be determined individually after the session. All payment methods available. In all plans including Free. Standard online fees: TWINT 1.25%+CHF 0.18, Visa/MC 1.65%+CHF 0.18 (as of May 2026).

4. Group therapy: Unified billing for several children

Occupational and speech therapy practices frequently offer group therapies – for instance, language support groups or sensorimotor groups for 3–5 children at the same time. The billing per child is the same as in individual therapy, but the parents of different children must be notified and billed separately.

Practical solution: Create a Payrexx Page with the fixed group therapy fee per child. All parents receive the same URL in the appointment confirmation or via WhatsApp. Each parent pays individually. In the Dashboard, the therapist can see who has paid and follow up with those who outstanding. This is more efficient than creating 5 individual Payment Links.

5. Accounting: Separate KVG billing and direct payments

Health insurance billing (Tarmed) runs via the practice software (e.g. TrustMed, AbbaDent, Clinicall) and is separated from the direct payment. Payrexx only records the parents' direct payments. For accounting, a booking text standard is recommended: e.g. 'Occupational therapy personal share [month]' or 'Speech therapy private share [initials]'. All transactions can be exported as CSV.

Occupational therapy and speech therapy are exempt from VAT if the service is therapeutic and provided under medical prescription (Art. 21 para. 2 no. 3 MWSTG). Private services without KVG coverage may be subject to VAT depending on the situation – clarify with your trustee.

6. Cost Overview

* Nexgo N6/N86 currently free of charge, regularly CHF 25/month. As of May 2026. For small amounts (CHF 8–15 personal share), Tap to Pay via the Free plan makes more sense than a Payment Link, as the fixed fee of CHF 0.18 has a strong percentage weight on small amounts.

7. Checklist: Set up card payment in the occupational and speech therapy practice

•        Clarify which amounts you collect directly: deductible of 10%, franchise share, private services

•        Decide which scenario prevails: parents present (terminal/Tap to Pay) or absent (Payment Link)

•        For home visits and school therapy: Install the Payrexx Tap to Pay app on an Android device

•        For absent parents: Prepare a Payment Link template in the Dashboard

•        Activate TWINT – the standard in Switzerland, also suitable for small amounts

•        For group therapy: Create a Payrexx Page with a fixed group price per child

•        Define booking text convention: personal share vs. private service

•        Clarify VAT liability for private services with your trustee

Payrexx offers occupational and speech therapy practices Tap to Pay, Payment Links, and Payrexx Pages from a single account – with TWINT, debit card, and credit card. The Free plan with no monthly fee is a complete setup for small practices with mainly Tap-to-Pay and Payment Link usage.