Health care costs set to leap.

[Logan]

The French government are determined to reduce the healthcare deficit by forcing us all to pay higher voluntary contributions.

http://www.french-property.com:80/newsletter/2008/4/1/french-health-insurance/

 

[Benjamin]

I just love it when these articles say the State pays for this or the State pays for that. [:P]

It's the tax payer who funds the State coffers so that's actually you and me. If the proposal is to move the cost of healthcare from the general tax payer and lump more of it onto the sick and needy so be it, but can I reduce the part of my taxes which pay for, for example, education as Mrs Benjamin and I are just about past it as far as producing any sprogs are concerned.

You either fund all of the social costs or you put more of the burden of funding onto those who use each individual service. Sort the scroungers out first and then see what the deficits are.

[cooperlola]

Although as you know, this is a subject close to my heart, I think it's about time the state stopped paying for some of the more dubious things like thermal treatments, which seem to be used (by some, not all) as a kind of free holiday on the state.

But like all these sledgehammer policies, they don't tackle the real issues which seem to me to include waste and an overburdened administrative system.  How much do we reckon the recent healthcare debacle cost France in the end?  A good deal more than they're going to save, I'd like to bet.

[Logan]

Really, my view is the government are trying to have their cake and eat it too. French insurance or mutuelle companies are perfectly capable of providing all the resources to fund the health care needs of the population.

A private system would reduce the burden on the tax payer and allow us all to pay less in social charges. That is the theory of course. In practice I doubt it would happen. The government would just find other ways to spend our money. So in effect we will end up paying more whatever bright idea they come up with.

Waste on administration would not be reduced. What would they do with all those functionaries who send us useless piles of paper on a constant basis? The private sector would surely be able to create much efficiency.

The social net could remain in place for those on a low income. You have to be pretty poor these days to qualify anyway.

I support the idea that the Medicare system of France should either be funded in full by the state or funded in full privately. The current system is to me a complete dogs breakfast.

 

[The Riff-Raff Element]

The private sector would surely be able to create much efficiency.

Absolutely. One needs look no further than the previously publicly-owned bodies in the UK to see just how much more efficient they are when run for profit. [:P] The railways, for example.

[NormanH]

[quote user="Benjamin"]I just love it when these articles say the State pays for this or the State pays for that. [:P]

It's the tax payer who funds the State coffers so that's actually you and me. If the proposal is to move the cost of healthcare from the general tax payer

[/quote]

In France the cost of health care is more closely earmarked from contributions to Social Security than in the UK, so it's not "the general tax payer" who pays

[Logan]

I think you are hair splitting. Social Security contributions are a tax by any other name. It's all tax. Franchise a' retenir is just the latest one.