The 2013 French health barometer produced by Opinion Way for Sofinscope reveals that compared to January 2012, the French health budget has stabilized. Yet this stability is only apparent and hides a real “budget divide” according to household income. Even leaving 63% of French people with the feeling that this budget is increasing.
The French estimate that their average annual health budget remains at their expense at 568 €. Seniors say they have a very substantial health budget: 1039 euros per year, an amount nearly five times higher than what 18-24 year olds (222 euros) declare. But this budget obviously varies according to household income, and the gap between the expenses of the richest and the poorest French is increasing. The richest spend more on their health and the poorest always less.
If the French say for the majority to have an increasing budget, it is because they have the feeling to have been less restricted than previous generations. In 2012, 60% of them were forced to postpone or even give up medical consultations or health purchases. They are only 53% this year.
But, 42% of the French were forced to postpone or give up the purchase of glasses, lenses or dental prostheses. 31% of them postponed or abandoned the consultation with the specialist and 22% gave up the purchase of drugs.
On the other hand, the French do not ignore the consultation with the general practitioner. Only 15% have given up, a figure that has been stable since 2010.
To better manage this expense item, 69% of French people buy generic drugs. They are 32% to have changed mutual for one which reimburses better and 23% for one which costs less. On the other hand, few of them cross borders to save money. There are less than one in ten French people who have already traveled to another country to buy glasses, lenses, other prostheses or drugs. They are only 3% to have consulted a specialist or been hospitalized.
Source: 2013 Sofinscope Health Barometer
