The Minister of Health, Marisol Touraine announced the generalization of third-party payment for all patients by 2017. A first step would be taken this year in order to propose exemption from advance fees for beneficiaries of medical aid. complementary health insurance (ACS), i.e. 1 million people.
Costs consultation will be paid directly by Health Insurance and by complementary health insurance for patients who have one.
“The generalization of third-party payment is a necessary fundamental reform, which will contribute to better access to care, in particular for the too many households for which the advance of costs constitutes a brake” recalls the minister in a press release.
In fact, 17% of the French population give up healthcare lack of means according to the latest CISS barometer (Collectif interassociatif sur la santé).
“The system put in place must be simple and secure, both for doctors and for patients; the risks of cash flow or additional administrative burden must be completely controlled and ruled out, in particular for doctors,” says Marisol Touraine. “Protecting access to care for the most vulnerable patients must be the red thread of the decisions that will be made.”
Doctors’ unions oppose it
The Confederation of French Medical Unions (CSMF) reacted to the publication of the report by the IGAS (the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs) and to the press release from the Ministry of Health. If the CSMF affirms that it remains “in favor of the third-party payment social security for patients in a precarious situation, it opposes the generalization of a gas plant which will be at the expense of doctors because it is technically impracticable”. She explains in a press release that “this report is a smokescreen intended to make people believe that generalized third-party payment is technically possible, pretending to ignore the many difficulties borne by healthcare professionals alone and the lack of awareness by patients of the cost of their care.
The price of a consultation today
The consultation with a contracted general practitioner referring to sector 1 is worth 23 euros. 15.10 euros are reimbursed by the Health Insurance and 15.10 euros by the mutual insurance company and 1 euro remains payable by the patient.
