In search of savings for its 2024 budget, the government confirms an upcoming increase in the medical deductible. This will “probably” double, with a cap of 50 euros per year, indicated the Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, this Friday September 8 on Sud Radio. Before him, at the end of August, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and the Minister of Public Accounts Thomas Cazenave were already insisting on this avenue, while all are already working on the preparation of the social security financing bill (PLFSS) for the year next, the presentation of which is expected at the end of September.
The franchise on boxes of medicine has remained unchanged since its creation in 2008, under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy: it amounts to 50 cents per box of medicine. Its total amount is capped at 50 euros per year per person, beyond which everything is reimbursed. It is relatively unnoticeable by the socially insured person who benefits from third-party payment, since he does not pay anything immediately. The excess is subsequently retained by Social Security from subsequent reimbursements.
“We look, we continue to work, we do not want people who we imagined to be protected to be affected,” explained Minister Aurélien Rousseau. There will “undoubtedly be a doubling” of the franchise on medicine boxes, but “with a major concern: that it is not people in particular who have a long-term condition […] who are affected. So we are not touching the ceiling of 50 euros per year.” “We still have a few weeks left to arbitrate,” he said.
Excess on visits to the doctor: from one to two euros
Furthermore, the deductible on visits to the doctor, currently one euro, will also “probably increase to two euros”, added Aurélien Rousseau. Asked about the question of a review of franchises concerning nursing care, physiotherapy, or medical transport, the minister replied that he did not want to “open these projects”.
The government is looking for savings to be able to meet European commitments on public spending, and finance the needs of hospitals and community medicine. Aurélien Rousseau also assured that there would be no new increases on tobacco this year, while inflation was weighing on the purchasing power of the French. But “next year I will come back with this proposal,” he said.
Regarding drug shortages, and possible price increases to encourage laboratories to produce more, “the subject is limited in a certain way to amoxycillin (the most common antibiotic) and paracetamol”, he said. explained the Minister. On amoxycillin, “we proposed in return for a delivery commitment” a “10% increase” to the main laboratories that produce it, he said. “Most labs said OK on that.”
There will be other increases, but “not on many other” drugs, said the minister, who for example ruled out an increase of the same amount on paracetamol. “We are focusing on our major subject, antibiotics,” he declared, recalling that France “is still one of the countries where we consume the most antibiotics in Europe, by a long way.”