Radio ad about reduced remboursements?

[SaligoBay]

Heard most of this today, a maman explaining to her little loin-fruit about how you have to pay for medical treatment if you're ill, then you get money back.

But now......   kind of missed this bit.....  something about everyone accepting one euro less in remboursement.  If everyone does it it'll show solidarity etc.

What's going on?  What have I been missing while I've been fretting about other things?  Are the creaky joints of the French health service finally giving way?   

[Miki]

Shock, horror !!

I have a rendez-vous with the Impots about my annual payment of the national debt next week. I have also just had the new cost of our health mutuelle arrive recently, of course increased more than the average cost of living index.

Every time I open a paper, local or national, it says that health costs and debts are rising "dramatically" and that cracks are widening. All this is not just "recent" though, it has been going on for a few years now but hey, if one doesn't read the papers or were not in the "system", it would all look quite rosy n'est ce pas?

 

[Richardbk]

I think the  1 euro comes from the fact that the 'frais hospitalier' has been increased by 1euro. in addition I beleive there are now around 600 medicines that have had the reimboursement rate reduced from 65 to 35 %. and a whole bunch of over proposals are in the pipeline.

The problem with the dear old french is that they simply refuse to accept the reality of the situation - namely that rather than increasing contributions they need to look at reducing the cost base. The French system is good (when compared to many other), but it is highly inefficient, with high levels of over capacity and too much regional variation.

regs

Richard

[Hereford]

We have just had a letter from CPAM which sort of explains it. I quote below the relevant sentence: (sorry no accents)

Pour chaque acte medical, un euro sera directement deduit des remboursements, Ce sera notre contribution aux depenses de sante.

It goes on a bit after that.... Does not affect minors, preg. women or those on CMU. Starts 1.1.05

What we wonder is: will the Mutuelle pick up the one euro?  Also at the pharmacy we currently just hand over our card (which has Mutuelle attached) and pay nothing. Will the pharmacy have to ask everyone for one euro!!!!!

H.

PS We assume these letters will arrive as and when people get a statement from CPAM.

[Alexis]

We will all have to 'donate' 1€.  We will not be reimbursed by 1€.

They rattled the tin and all they found was a button and a bit of fluff.......

[Iceni]

[quote]Hi Why is everyone sooo concerned about health if I was a visitor from another planet I would reach the conclusion that everyone here is a raving hypochondriac. Chill out it may never happen. Regar...[/quote]

There are only two things guaranteed in life, death and taxes and unless the first is achieved quickly with no warning, the need to use the health system will kick in and the extra 1€ I regard as a health tax (I am not commenting on the rights or wrongs of it, just that I will pay it).

You may not realise this but as you get older you may find you need to visit the quack or hospital for regular medicine and or checkups. All this costs in France when in the UK it is free and if people do not allow enough money to live on in France their lives will be very stressful.

Far better to be sensible and face facts, that is why we want to know what is going on.

[Jackie]

Why is everyone sooo concerned about health if I was a visitor from another planet I would reach the conclusion that everyone here is a raving hypochondriac. Chill out it may never happen.

Well said Di. To many of us it already has! Aaah what it is to be young!.......................John