Government abandons plans to double medical deductibles

The government announced that it is renouncing plans to double the medical deductible thresholds, which were initially set to increase from 100 to 200 euros per year. This decision was confirmed by Health Minister Stéphanie Rist following strong reactions from patient associations and other stakeholders in the sector.

This reversal was announced after the minister acknowledged that the news of the doubling may have seemed "brutal." Nearly a month ago, the government had promoted this measure as a way to curb rising healthcare spending.

Despite abandoning this immediate increase, the government still plans to implement an increase that will be linked to inflation, which could impact patients, especially those with chronic conditions, retirees, and families.

According to La Tribune, the details regarding inflation indexing are yet to be defined and raise concerns about which groups will be most affected by this adjustment and what the exact cost to insured individuals will be.

Meanwhile, the CGT has expressed concerns about any increase in medical deductibles, stating that even minimal amounts could undermine the principle of Social Security, which aims to reimburse necessary healthcare for citizens.

The minister assured that future reforms would be considered to ensure a fair approach to medical deductibles, while adjusting measures based on the economic needs of patients.