For several months, the possibility of defining a minimum amount above which doctors would be obliged to present a written estimate to their patient has been considered. Friday September 5, in an interview with Le Figaro, the Minister of Health, Roselyne Bachelot, announced that this minimum amount will be set at 70 euros. Questioned by Relaxnews, the services of the Ministry of Health did not specify the date of publication of the measure in the Official Journal.
In addition to this, a measure setting “a standardized estimate for all audio-prostheses, distinguishing the price of the device itself and the service that goes with it”, will be published “in mid-September”, announced the minister.
In October, a third decree will appear, allowing health insurance funds to apply a financial penalty to doctors who do not display their rates and to those who practice excess fees without “tact and measure” , which would be contrary to their ethics.
Provided for in the Social Security Financing Law (LFSS 2008), voted on December 19, 2007, the measures concerning the imposition of an estimate on practitioners with free fees and compliance with the obligation to display tariffs are not still not in force. Surgery, radiology or odontology should be the most concerned.
According to current regulations, only doctors installed in sector 2 can request fee overruns, which are required to respect the principle of “tact and moderation”. Dental surgeons are also authorized to practice overruns, only for orthodontic and prosthetic care, and subject to the establishment of an estimate.
Despite the legislation, a survey carried out at the end of 2005 by the Dgccrf revealed that less than half of doctors posted their fees in their waiting room. A decrease compared to 2000.
This year, the Health Insurance has already taken a step towards transparency in the prices of doctors. Since the beginning of August, it has made available to all policyholders, on its website, the rates for free-fee doctors, as well as dentists located in France.
