As the standoff continues between the doctors and the government, the closing of doctors’ officesGPs and specialists during the Christmas holidays did not mark a decline in consultations. On the contrary, Health Insurance reveals that between 23 and 31 December 2014, 4 million medical consultations were recorded, against 4.3 million in 2013 and 2012 at the same time.
In terms of treatment sheets, the trend was also on the rise: 4.9 million treatment sheets were teletransmitted between December 23 and 30, compared to 4.6 million at the end of 2013 and 4.8 million at the end of 2012. These teletransmissions were carried out by liberal doctors practicing mainly in offices, in private clinics or in private hospitals, specifies the National Health Insurance Fund (Cnamts).
These health insurance data were greeted with skepticism by Jean-Paul Hamon, president of the Federation of Doctors of France (FMF), one of the main medical unions. Asked by AFP, he even speaks of “manipulation”. “These figures are unverifiable, we ask to have access to them,” he stormed.
This news somehow disavows the promise of massive mobilization displayed by the medical unions, some having mentioned “up to 80% and 100% of walkouts”.
A vital card strike
The bone of contention with the government is therefore still there. And the doctors intend to continue their mobilization. Some firms should post closed doors on Monday January 5 and Tuesday January 6.
At the same time, the unions called for an administrative strike. Doctors are invited to refuse the vital card of their patients and therefore to refuse teletransmissions to return to paper healthcare reimbursement forms. A symbolic action intended to clog up the services of the Health Insurance and which should extend the reimbursement periods of several weeks.
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