Health. Work stoppages, medical deductibles... The Ministry of Health's savings avenues

We now know more about the $5.5 billion in savings the government is hoping to make in the health sector. Minister Catherine Vautrin detailed the measures in an interview with Le Monde published this Saturday.

Already announced by François Bayrou on July 15, Catherine Vautrin confirmed the doubling of medical deductibles to "make policyholders more responsible." These amounts not reimbursed to patients will therefore be a maximum of 96 euros per year, with the monthly limit remaining at 8 euros. The amount of deductibles (currently 1 euro per box of medication and paramedical procedure and 4 euros for medical transport) as well as the flat-rate contribution (2 euros per consultation, radiology examination, or medical analysis) will also increase, without Catherine Vautrin specifying by how much. These deductibles will also be paid "over the counter." "We must stop with this idea that health insurance is 'free, I'm entitled to it,'" the minister insisted.

In the event of sick leave, health insurance currently pays daily benefits starting on the fourth day. The government wants to push this date back to the eighth day and shift the burden to employers between the fourth and seventh days. This issue "must be discussed with social partners," says Catherine Vautrin. Furthermore, to combat "abuse" in sick leave prescriptions, the government wants to "limit any initial sick leave prescribed in community medicine to fifteen days" and "to one month upon discharge from hospital."

Catherine Vautrin confirms that the government wants to "facilitate the exit from the long-term illness (ALD) scheme, when the doctor declares that you are fully cured." The government also intends to "question the continuation of 100% reimbursement of spa treatments and medications whose medical benefit is low for patients with ALD."

Catherine Vautrin wants flu vaccination to be made "mandatory in nursing homes," where the coverage rate is currently 85%. Finally, the minister confirmed that she wants to combat "medical nomadism." To this end, the shared medical file must "be completed by all doctors." "While seeking a second medical opinion is perfectly understandable after a diagnosis of a condition, this is not the case for a third, fourth, or fifth identical consultation with other practitioners," Catherine Vautrin further explained.