To guarantee the sustainability of social security, the Minister of Health recalls that ” we cannot build an active policy of long-term solidarity on credit: our social protection must be part of a model which remains faithful to its values of solidarity, but which is also financially sustainable “.
This is why she explains, “ the Government has undertaken to take the necessary measures to reduce social deficits. With the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) for 2014, 8.5 billion euros of efforts will be made next year. In 2014, despite still limited growth, the Social Security deficit will be reduced by 3.4 billion euros “.
She also added that ” the PLFSS must remain at the service of growth and employment. This is why the requested efforts will not weigh on the cost of labor and more than 4 billion euros in recovery will result from savings. “.
To achieve this objective, the Minister of Health has announced that it is resuming efforts in several health sectors.
” The financing bill and the state finance bill bring 4.5 billion euros in additional resources to Social Security. This is the result of the pension reform and that of the family policy, which we presented this year. »She declared to Les Echos. In this interview, she also describes the main sources of savings that the PLFSS has targeted.
Medicines, hospitals and operating costs
” The reductions in drug prices, and the development of generics, both in town and in hospitals, will save nearly 1 billion euros and savings of 120 million are expected on medical devices (wheelchairs , orthopedic devices, dressings …) “Said the Minister of Health to Les Echos magazine.
For the hospital, the minister forecasts savings of 440 million euros. Health structures will have to keep tighter financial budgets, optimize their purchases and promote outpatient surgery.
The Minister also reminded Les Echos that ” each French person keeps an average of 1.5 kg of unused drugs in their medicine cabinet! It is both a waste and a danger, and it promotes self-medication inappropriately. We are therefore going to experiment with dispensing drugs individually, and no longer by box, starting with certain antibiotics, in certain regions. “.
Pension reform and family quotient
The pension reform, with the increase in old age contributions or the postponement of the revaluation of pensions, will bring 2.5 billion euros to the retirement branch. The 12% increase in taxes for households with children will save one billion euros in 2014 for the family branch.