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

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

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

1. Who pays what in occupational therapy and speech therapy practices?

Occupational therapy and speech therapy are subject to KVG coverage when prescribed by a doctor and are billed via mandatory basic health insurance. This means: Health insurance covers the majority of the costs – but not everything. Adults pay the annual deductible (at least EUR 300) and the 10% retention fee after deduction of the deductible; for children, there is no deductible, only the 10% retention fee (up to a maximum of EUR 350 per year).

The situation is special for children: Children up to age 18 do not pay a deductible. For children under 18 years, only the 10% retention fee applies – which corresponds to around EUR 8 per session for an occupational therapy session at an EUR 80 health insurance rate. For adults (e.g. in adult occupational therapy following a stroke), the deductible applies.

The crucial point for the payment solution: In paediatric practices, parents are almost always the paying parties. The child is the patient, and 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 parents are not present at the session at all.

2. The parents-as-payers context: What this means for the payment solution

When parents bring a child to occupational therapy or speech therapy, three scenarios are typical: The parent waits in the waiting room and pays upon collection, the parent drops off the child and leaves, thus not paying on site, or the child arrives alone (older school children) and the parents are not at the practice at all.

In the second and third scenarios, a terminal is useless. A Payment Link via WhatsApp or email after the session is the only practical solution: The therapist sends a link to the parent after the session, and they pay conveniently from the sofa in the evening. This also works when 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 suits an occupational/speech therapy practice?

POS terminal at reception

Card terminals make sense for practices with a reception area and parents waiting or picking up children. The N910 Pro, Nexgo N6 or N86 are available for EUR 25/month rental – under the InStore subscription with no monthly fee. 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 payment directly in the treatment room or during a home visit. iPhone is not supported. Tap to Pay is included in every Payrexx subscription – for purely on-site payments in the free InStore plan (cards 1.65% + EUR 0.15, TWINT 1.30%). With the Better Fees add-on (EUR 9/month), the same fees apply as on the Lector de tarjetas: Debit 0.95% + EUR 0.15, Credit 1.25% + EUR 0.15, TWINT 1.25%.

Payment Link via WhatsApp to 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 defined individually after the session. All payment methods available. Included in all plans, including Free. Standard online fees: TWINT 1.25%+EUR 0.18, Visa/MC 1.65%+EUR 0.18 (as of October 2026).

4. Group therapy: Standardised billing for multiple children

Occupational and speech therapy practices often offer group therapies – such as language development groups or sensorimotor groups for 3–5 children simultaneously. Billing per child is the same as in individual therapy, but parents of different children must be contacted and billed separately.

Practical solution: Create a Payrexx Page with a 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 sees who has paid and can follow up on outstanding amounts. This is more efficient than creating 5 individual Payment Links.

5. Accounting: Separating KVG billing and direct payments

Health insurance billing runs via practice software and is separated from direct payment. Payrexx records only the direct payments from parents. For accounting, a standard booking description is recommended: e.g. 'Occupational therapy patient contribution [month]' or 'Speech therapy private share [abbreviation]'. All transactions can be exported as a CSV.

Occupational therapy and speech therapy are exempt from VAT if the service is therapeutic and provided under medical prescription (Art. 21 para. 2 item 3 MWSTG). Private services without KVG coverage may be subject to VAT depending on the situation – clarify with your fiduciary.

6. Overview of costs

* Terminal rental EUR 25/month. As of: October 2026. For small amounts (EUR 8–15 patient contribution), Tap to Pay via the InStore subscription makes more sense than Payment Link, as the fixed fee of EUR 0.30 represents a significant percentage for small amounts.

7. Checklist: Setting up card payments in an occupational and speech therapy practice

• Clarify which amounts you collect directly: 10% retention fee, deductible portion, private services

• Decide which scenario predominates: 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 – standard in Switzerland, also suitable for small amounts

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

• Define a booking text convention: Patient contribution vs. private service

• Clarify VAT liability for private services with your fiduciary

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 InStore subscription (on site) and the Free plan (Payment Links) provide a complete setup without a monthly fee for small practices.