The Court of Auditors has just published its annual report on the application of social security financing laws. Coverage of dental care by health insurance is once again in its sights, six years after having already notified the “financial disengagement from health insurance, the failure of conventional policy to stem the drift in costs and significant disparities in access to care both geographically and financially”.
25% of dental care remains the responsibility of patients
In this new report, the Court of Auditors emphasizes that the situation “continues to deteriorate, not without strong consequences in terms of access to care and the health situation of part of the population”. Health insurance now only takes care of 33% of dental expenses, complementary insurance 39% – they have thus become the main funder – and 25% of expenses remain the responsibility of patients.
“This share, although stable since 2008, represents a substantial out-of-pocket burden for the insured persons and an essential reason for the renunciation of dental care by the latter.” insists the report. One in five insured thus declares to have waived dental treatment for financial reasons.
By comparison, in Germany the share of dental expenditure covered by health insurance amounts to 65%, private insurance covers 22% of the total and only 10% remains to be borne by patients. “On the other hand, the basket of dental care covered is more extensive since it covers surgical and conservative care, preventive care (especially for minors, disabled people and fragile people), orthodontics for minors and periodontal care”.
Bad luck if you live in Ile-de-France
The report also insists on the tariff freedom granted to dental surgeons, which results in differences in the cost of care between geographical areas. To have your teeth treated, it is better to live elsewhere than in Ile-de-France: the Court of Auditors thus reports, on average, an additional cost of 26% of the tariffs practiced by Parisian dental surgeons compared to their colleagues in the provinces.
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