2 billion additional euros which will be added to the budget of French hospitals.
After eight years of consecutive decline, the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn announced on Tuesday February 26 on RTL an increase in hospital tariffs, which determine the budget of hospitals. “Rates will be up by 0.5%, the permanent grip on the hospital will be able to be loosened this year”, she explained, praising a “historic decision”.
“We have been heard”
In 2019, “the funding envelope for establishments with medicine, surgery and obstetrics (MCO) activity, including tariffs, quality funding and flat-rate funding for certain chronic pathologies, will increase by 0.5%” , detailed the ministry in a press release.
This increase should concern psychiatry (+100 million euros) and obstetric surgery (+250 million euros). In total, an additional 2 billion euros will be added to the budget of French hospitals. “We have been heard” welcomed Lamine Gharbi, president of the Federation of Private Hospitalization (FHP), “thanking the government and the minister for this strong gesture”, recalling that “that many hospitals, in the public as in the private sector, are in great difficulty”.
“A little oxygen to the system”
“It is a positive signal and the counterpart of the efforts made in recent years by hospitals”, which are still being asked for “660 million euros in savings” in 2019, confirmed his colleague from the Hospital Federation of France (FHF) Frederic Valletoux. “This gives a little oxygen to the system” he believes, even if it should influence “only marginally” the deficit of public hospitals, expected according to him around “one billion euros at the end of 2019 “.
These increases in hospital rates will be officially reflected in the next Social Security budget. With this gesture, Agnès Buzyn ensures that she remains within the envelope which was voted by parliament for health insurance. “We are making a considerable effort where we are putting pressure on drug prices. Manufacturers are not happy, but that allows us to free up room for maneuver for hospitals,” she says.
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