Published on June 18, 2023 at 3:34 p.m.
In a press release issued on Thursday, June 15, the union of general practitioners of France (MG France) expressed their condemnation of the recent campaign of checks on treating doctors by Health Insurance. The union accuses Health Insurance of targeting doctors who issue too many sick leaves.
A few weeks ago, Health Insurance launched a new control campaign. According to information from Le Figaro, the administration is monitoring the rate of daily allowances issued by each doctor and supervising prescriptions of medication. Health Insurance aims to identify doctors who prescribe significantly more than the national average, and they will be required to justify or reduce the number of work stoppages they provide. Failure to comply may result in financial penalties of up to 9,000 euros.
Doctors strongly oppose these controls and have made their objections known through a press release. The union of general practitioners in France denounced the “threatening letters” that set targets for daily allowance prescriptions, stating that Health Insurance claims to support the profession but the letters have a threatening tone. The Federation of Doctors of France, the Union of Liberal Doctors (SML), and MG France all encourage professionals to refuse the reinforced control.
Sophie Bauer, the president of SML, even describes the campaign as a “real witch hunt.” She emphasizes that the only fault of these doctors is deviating from the statistical curve, asserting that medicine is not about statistics. Bauer believes that this control campaign comes at an inopportune time, as the profession is already facing challenges, including opposition to the Valletoux bill by many liberal generalists. Marcel Garrigou Granchamp, a union representative of the FMF, states that doctors are victims of the government’s hunt for state fraud.
Agnès Giannotti, president of MG France, acknowledges an increase in work stoppages but attributes it to societal changes, such as an aging population and a decline in the retirement age. The union of general practitioners laments being made the “scapegoats” of the government while already facing constraints due to a decrease in their numbers and coercive laws.
Health Insurance clarifies that this is not a new campaign but rather the first since the health crisis, which may explain the surprise of the doctors. Doctors have one month to submit their written observations or request a hearing upon receiving a letter. The targets will only be effective from September 1st. Health Insurance expresses concern about the rising costs of daily allowances, which amounted to 14 billion euros in 2022, a 6% increase from 2019. The Minister Delegate for Public Accounts, Gabriel Attal, has also warned of the Social Security deficit, attributing it not only to the health crisis but also to the “explosion” of sick leave. If no action is taken, the annual amount of daily allowances could reach 23 billion euros by 2027, compared to the current 14 billion euros.
In conclusion, the union of general practitioners in France strongly opposes the recent campaign of checks on treating doctors by Health Insurance. They argue that the control methods are unfair and fail to consider
How are doctors in France expressing their solidarity with MG France in response to the campaign of checks imposed by Health Insurance?
All express their solidarity with MG France and condemn the campaign of checks imposed by Health Insurance. They argue that doctors’ autonomy and their ability to determine the appropriate treatment for their patients is being undermined.
The controversy surrounding these checks highlights the ongoing tension between doctors and Health Insurance over the management of sick leaves. While Health Insurance argues that they are trying to ensure appropriate use of sick leave and reduce unnecessary work stoppages, doctors argue that these controls are an intrusion into their professional judgment.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether Health Insurance will address the concerns raised by the union of general practitioners and other medical organizations. For now, doctors are standing united in their opposition to these checks, asserting their commitment to providing the best possible care for their patients.
