the government hangs on, the oppositions counterattack

The government wants to double medical deductibles to reduce the Social Security deficit, despite the revolt of the PS and its allies. The Minister of Health defends a “responsibility” measure, which the opposition considers unfair for patients.

The examination of the social security budget arrives in the hemicycle on Tuesday, November 4, including the subject of doubling medical deductibles. This subject is controversial, because it involves asking patients to participate a little more than today in health savings.

Today, we pay one euro deductible on the box of medicines, tomorrow it will be two euros, within the limit of a ceiling which will also double since we will go from 50 to 100 euros per year. Ditto for medical consultations, the government intends to increase the deductible from 2 to 4 euros with again, a ceiling which will rise from 50 to 100 euros annually, a remaining charge that even the best mutual and supplementary health insurance companies cannot reimburse.

The government thus hopes to make 2.3 billion euros in savings to which it wants to add, the extension of deductibles to other care, such as dental care, medical devices, such as glasses or crutches. Let us point out, however, that 18 million French people will not be affected by these deductibles, pregnant women at the end of their pregnancy, those under 18 years of age, beneficiaries of state medical aid, or complementary solidarity health insurance, that is to say people who have low incomes.

These measures on franchises were however removed at the end of October in the Social Affairs Committee, but as it is the government’s initial text which will be discussed in the Chamber, the subject will be debated again even though certain provisions are regulatory texts and will be the subject of decrees. The government is committed to these measures on franchises. For Stéphanie Rist, the Minister of Health, these individual contributions are “liability packages”. According to her, everyone must make efforts to control our health spending and preserve our social model. According to his calculations, this development amounts to asking 3.5 euros more per person per month.

The PS is absolutely keen to eliminate these franchises. For socialists, no question of asking more from patients. After having obtained the suspension of the pension reform, the taxation of the rich via a new tax on unproductive wealth, the freezing of retirement pensions, the PS intends to make the government bend: this is its next scalp!

For this, he can rely on environmentalists, France Insoumise, but also on the far right on the RN.