The showdown continues between the government and general practitioners over the price of consultations. Also, after the rejection of the new consultation rates proposed by Health Insurance by the two main unions in the sector, the Minister of Health, François Braun, regretted the lack of “responsibility” of liberal doctors. “There won’t be an agreement by tomorrow night, that’s almost certain, although I still want to believe in common sense,” the minister said on France Inter.
The proposal of the National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam) provides that all medical consultations be revalued by 1.50 euros. For GPs, this unconditional revaluation would bring the basic consultation to 26.50 euros, against 25 euros since 2017. This represents a state effort of 1.5 billion euros, “more than what we don’t ‘has ever done in a medical convention,” said Francois Braun.
“26.50 euros is not at all the value of the consultation. A doctor has more than 20% of his income which is made up of a lump sum, paid by Health Insurance, which makes a basic consultation at 36.50 euros, ”he added.
The six representative doctors’ unions have until Tuesday evening, February 28, to say whether or not they accept the new fee schedule proposed for five years.
Sunday evening, the two main unions of liberal doctors, among general practitioners and specialists, announced their “unanimous” rejection of this proposal, in return for a commitment to increase their activity. Among the counterparties, the attending physician must follow at least 1,200 patients, or employ a medical assistant, or participate in night shifts, or work in a medical desert or even on Saturday mornings.
“Doctors need to tick two boxes. And when we say on call, it’s one call per month, so let’s stop saying that it’s an intolerable pressure, “said the minister. “It’s not working more, it’s working differently. “We are missing out on an opportunity to improve the care of our fellow citizens, I find that the doctors’ unions are not responsible”, judged François Braun, saying that he did not understand “such a closed position”.
With a rejection of the agreement, the new tariffs will be fixed by an “arbitrator” who will have “three months to propose a text which will be essential for at least two years”, specified François Braun. “We’re going to waste time,” he lamented.
