The Minister of Health proposes to the dental surgeon unions to review the arbitration of the previous government. A meeting is scheduled for the start of the school year.
A few months after the clash between the Ministry of Health, Health Insurance and unions of dental surgeons, Agnès Buzyn takes advantage of the summer truce to reach out to professionals. She proposed that a new discussion session be opened with the Health Insurance.
“By letter received on July 18, 2017, the Minister of Solidarity and Health invited UNCAM to reopen negotiations with dental surgeons with a view to signing a new agreement,” announces the National Union of Funds health insurance in a meeting report of July 20.
David lost to Goliath
Negotiations had started in 2016 to modify the national convention of liberal dentists. With three main objectives: to strengthen prevention, improve financial access for patients, and promote conservative care.
But after months of discussions, the parties involved had not come to an agreement. An authoritarian arbitration of the Health Insurance, at the end of last March, had sealed the debates and triggered the anger of the dentists, who had for many closed their practices for a week in June, thus answering the call of the unions.
They denounced the grid of new prices, which provides in particular for a cap on the price of prostheses, in exchange for a reassessment of current care, such as the treatment of cavities. Not enough for professionals, who believe that the new price list will cause a leveling to the bottom of care. They also denounced the announcement effects which, according to them, were not based on concrete actions, but more on ineffective “sprinkling”.
Agnès Buzyn more diplomat?
These decisions were taken under the leadership of Marisol Touraine, then Minister of Health. After the presidential elections, the hot potato was then passed on to Agnès Buzyn, who had suffered the strikes and tried to appease the spirits. At the end of June, she had received the Federation of Liberal Dental Unions (FSDL). Its president, Philippe Denoyelle, then declared to have found “a listening ear”.
The one-year suspension of the application of the new tariffs, initially scheduled for January 1, 2018, decided by the ministry, should satisfy dentists. The postponement will also allow the Health Insurance to make some savings. So far, the exchanges seem cordial, but the points to be addressed will be the same, and the voltage may rise again. See you in September.
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