Deductibles, sick leave... The Minister of Health details the measures to curb spending

Medical deductibles, long-term illnesses, sick leave... The Minister of Labor, Health, Solidarity and Families, Catherine Vautrin , details the cost-cutting measures to curb health spending next year in an interview with Le Monde published Saturday morning.

In mid-July, the Prime Minister called for healthcare spending to be curbed by "around" five billion euros next year, notably calling for an effort to make the French people "responsible."

Ms. Vautrin points out that François Bayrou notably announced "the doubling of the ceiling on medical excesses" to 100 euros per year (i.e. the amounts not reimbursed to the patient, set at 1 euro per box of medication). Emphasizing that "we must stop with this idea that health insurance is 'free, I'm entitled to it'," she specifies that there will be a ceiling set "at a maximum of 8 euros per month," and reaffirms that these excesses will be paid "over the counter."

Regarding long-term illnesses (ALD), also cited by François Bayrou among the cost-cutting measures, Ms. Vautrin indicates that the first step will be to "facilitate the exit from this regime, when the doctor declares that you are fully cured of a stroke or cancer, for example."

She adds that the government intends to "question the maintenance of 100% reimbursement of spa treatments and medications whose medical service is low for patients with long-term illnesses."

On another sensitive issue, which Mr. Bayrou claims is "off the rails," that of sick leave, the minister explained that transferring the cost of sick leave, up to the seventh day, to the employer is an option "under consideration."

"In this scenario, companies would be required to take over this additional waiting period, from the fourth to the seventh day," she said.

Ms. Vautrin also indicated that the government intends to "put an end to abuses" and wishes to "limit any initial sick leave to 15 days in general practice" and to one month after hospital discharge," the idea being to have "a more regular reassessment of situations."