According to an internal document consulted by AFP, Health Insurance is currently preparing an action plan to stem the increase in daily allowances, largely due to the extension of the duration of sick leave.
Reinforcement of the “accompaniment” of doctors prescribing too many sick leaves, a prevention campaign in favor of professional reintegration or even better targeting of controls are avenues recommended by the National Health Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers ( Names).
In 2013, more than 203.6 million days were thus compensated for 4.7 million people, which is equivalent to a cost of 7 billion euros, specifies the document of the Health Insurance.
In the vast majority, sick leave of less than 30 days represents only 20% of expenditure. On the other hand, sick leave lasting from one to six months represents 41% of expenditure. As for stoppages longer than six months, they total 39% of expenditure.
Musculoskeletal disorders and mental disorders (mainly depressive episodes) alone account for 55% of the number of days compensated for these long sick leaves.
While the number of sickness benefit recipients fell by 2.7% during the first ten months of 2014, the number of days compensated increased by 2.8%, as did the number of days compensated per sick leave. (+5.1%).
To curb this phenomenon, Health Insurance recommends identifying doctors prescribing “both more stops and longer stops than their colleagues, with comparable patients”. It will then be a matter of offering them enhanced support from June 2015, or quite simply calling them to order. “If these doctors reduce the duration of their patients’ IJ prescription by 1 day, this represents 33 million euros in savings”, underlines the Cnamts.
To prevent the professional disintegration caused by long work stoppages, the Health Insurance suggests the establishment of a “facilitator agent” after patients to accompany them towards the resumption of activity.
In total, 12.8 billion euros ofdaily allowances were granted in 2013, if we count sick leave, maternity leave and accidents at work.
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