The UFC-What to choose has just unveiled its news interactive map of the health divide. The previous one dated from 2012 and this new map clearly shows that medical deserts have continued to expand in France for four years. Today, 23% of the population does not have access to a Family doctor less than 30 minutes from his home.
“According to the specialties, these are between 14.6 million (for general practitioners) and 21.1 million (for pediatricians) of users who live in a territory where the liberal care offer is notoriously insufficient, mainly in areas rural and mountainous “ underlines the association.
Fewer and fewer specialists in sector 1
At the same time, the consumers’ union also looked at the prices charged by specialists. She notes that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a specialist who does not exceed fees (in sector 1).
According to the study, 45% of the population can no longer find a pediatrician near their home at the basic rate of social security. A percentage that climbs to 82% for gynecologists and 83% for ophthalmologists.
“Under the effect of excess fees, the average price of a consultation has increased since 2012 by 3.5% for ophthalmologists, 5% for gynecologists and even 8.8% for pediatricians, when the inflation over the same period does not exceed 1% “ insists the UFC-What to choose.
Faced with this “double observation of failure in the fight against excess fees as against medical deserts”, the UFC-Que Choisir calls on the government and the Health Insurance, to a “radical change of gear” and proposes to close access to sector 2 (free fees) to doctors who settle in order to increase the supply of practitioners in sector 1. “The Contract for access to care (supervised overruns) will only be able to produce its effects if it ceases to be optional, to become the substitute for sector 2, access to which must be closed”.
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