A first victory for general practitioners. Health insurance gives its approval for a revaluation of the consultation, recently increased to 26.50 euros. This increase “is only a step”, assured this Monday in an interview with Echoes the director general of the National Health Insurance Fund, Thomas Fatôme. And to estimate in this interview: “We have undoubtedly misjudged the malaise of the profession”, in reference to the negotiations on the spring medical tariffs which ended in failure.
“I want us to get back around the table […] We agree to upgrade doctors,” continues Thomas Fatôme. “And yes, we need to reduce the gaps between generalists and specialists. We are not going to replicate the proposals that were made earlier this year,” he adds.
During negotiations in the first quarter of 2023, which aimed to redefine medical rates for the next five years, Health Insurance had proposed a revaluation to 30 euros of the consultation of the general practitioner, but only for those who accepted additional constraints to mobilize more time with patients.
Among the bouquet of commitments offered, there was thus the taking of guards, the opening on Saturday, or even the exercise in an area of low medical presence. The doctors’ unions had refused this conditional increase, and it was finally an arbitration agreement that prevailed, with the consultation increased to 26.50 euros for all, unconditionally.
Last week, the Minister of Health, François Braun, also showed signs of openness to resume negotiations and find another text than the arbitration agreement.
“I continue to discuss with the unions of general practitioners,” he explained during a hearing in the Senate. “I’m pretty resolutely optimistic that we can find a way” to a new agreement, he said.