While the government has confirmed the establishment of generalized third-party payment, the doctors’ unions are reiterating their opposition to this device.
The government is walking on eggshells with liberal doctors. The establishment of the generalized third-party payment could, in fact, attract the wrath of the medical unions. They had denounced this device under the previous five-year term and are recalling it today.
On July 11, at the microphone of France Inter, Agnès Buzyn confirmed that the third party payment – already applied to pregnant women, patients with long-term illnesses or beneficiaries of CMU or AME – would indeed be generalized to the entire population. “It’s a question of equity and access to care,” she said.
A few days earlier, the Minister of Health had however seemed to indicate that the third party payment was suspended the time to find the best model. Asked by The Generalist, she explained that the advance towards a generalizable third-party payment depends on the system offered to doctors. “If it’s not working, we’ll delay the process. Health professionals will adhere to it if it is simple. And it will not be intended to be compulsory, ”she declared.
For the moment, the Ministry of Health has not set any timetable. He is awaiting the reports from the Igas which should be submitted in September and that of the Health Insurance. They must conclude on the technical feasibility of such a measure. However, on Thursday July 13, Christophe Castaner, the government spokesperson, confirmed that the third party payment would be generalized for the part reimbursed by the basic health insurance at the 1er next December, as provided for by the Health Act.
Union opposition
Divergent statements which do not reassure the central unions who thought that this generalized third-party payment would be buried. The main one, the CSMF, denounces “the double talk” of the Minister of Health and hammers out their desire to see the third-party payment simply removed.
MG France also expressed his opposition. Just like the CSMF, the SML or the FMF, the general practitioners’ union insists that the third-party payment will lead to “administrative overload” because of the “complexity” of the current system.
Aware of the disturbance that the device can generate among professionals, Agnès Buzyn assures that she wants to set up a simple and practical model. “We want doctors to find a facility in this third-party payment, we need to give them medical time rather than administrative time”, she insisted on France Inter.
The SML, also opposed to this measure, says however open to other systems of dispensation of advance of expenses which could be set up by the doctors on the basis of voluntary service “to support the most modest patients and to the most expensive care ”. The union hopes to be heard by the Igas.
And if their voices are not heard, some unions are already warning that an indefinite strike movement to be launched in December.
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