Bis repetita: as in last spring, the implementation of confinement led, from the beginning of November, to a further drop in the consumption of healthcare. In hospitals, operations were thus deprogrammed, while for city medicine, according to the specialist in online appointments Doctolib, the cancellations of consultations, motivated by the fear of contamination or the fear of disturbing professionals, have increased by 30%. What to add to some 2.5 billion euros of savings recorded by the sector (insurers, mutuals and provident institutions) just between March and May. “An evaluation that we do not dispute”, recognizes Albert Lautman, general manager of the French Mutuality (FNMF).
But do not expect, in return, a drop in your health contributions, whether you have an individual contract, or be covered by your employer’s contract. Because the state has decided to use before you! Thus the Social Security financing law has provided for a “Covid tax” on mutuals, of 2.6% from next year, and of 1.3% in 2022. For a total levy of 1 , 5 billion euros in two years, which will wipe out a good part of the savings. It must be said that the health crisis is ruinous for Social Security, which has not only decided to cover 100% of teleconsultations, but also the cost of anti-Covid tests such as hospitalizations. “Without this provision, we could have reduced the contributions of policyholders in 2021,” concludes Albert Lautman.
>> To read also – The prices of complementary health insurance will increase in 2021
Rather than a drop in price, it is even a hell of a grimace that awaits holders of complementary health insurance next year, them who had to suffer an average inflation of 5% in 2020, according to the association UFC- What to choose. In detail, however, not everyone will be seasoned the same. For individual contracts, a probable increase of 3%, everything will depend on the brand, as well as the customer profile. Example with Harmonie mutuelle, which announced a freeze on contributions for self-employed workers and hospital staff, but will increase its premiums from 1.5% to 3% overall. At the Mutuelle Générale, the tariff change will vary from 0 to + 2.5%, while Generali and Viasanté (AG2R La Mondiale) will limit the increase to a maximum of 2%.
Those who will have the most to worry about, however, will be the employees, covered by a collective contract. Although part of the increase will be paid by the employer, they can expect to pay significantly more. “Inflation should range from 3 to 4% in large companies, and from 5 to 8% in the smallest”, describes Patrice Plouvier, expert at Deloitte. This is how Generali will apply an average increase of 3%, and Axa will raise its tariffs by 4.8%. “This increase is explained by the constant increase in healthcare consumption, linked to the aging of the population, in an environment where regulatory reforms follow one another”, the insurer is justified.
It is true that the sector, in addition to the many compulsory deductions (out of 100 euros of collective contributions, nearly 38 would go to taxes, according to the Technical Center of Provident Institutions), must bear the consequences of the 100% health law, which provides for a zero charge in terms of optical, dental and, from next year, hearing equipment. And that, in a staggered manner, the pandemic could ultimately generate additional costs.
>> Read also – The potential winners and losers of the emergency patient package
The difficulties of companies and the increase in bankruptcies should indeed make the rate of defaults on collective contracts jump. While the expected rise in unemployment could multiply by two or three requests for portability, this provision allowing an employee deprived of a job to keep free for one year, for himself and his relatives, the benefit of his complementary. The risk is then that the technical deficit of the schemes increases. “This trend alone could increase the price of collective complementary health benefits by 1 to 2%,” said Alix Pradère, partner and co-founder of the health consulting firm OpusLine.
What companies put less forward, however, is the weight of their management costs and their marketing expenses in these tariff drifts. “Efforts can be made to lower these costs, so as to regain the confidence of the insured”, confirms Noëlle Chevesson, independent consultant in the health sector. Well hidden costs, until a decree obliges insurers to reveal them, since September 1, in the sole case of individual mutuals. Thus, on your due date notices, and on any estimate submitted, must now appear, expressed as a percentage of the total annual contributions deducted from the insured, the amounts devoted to reimbursement of care, and those spent on operating costs. As our exclusive table shows, drawn up from 15 quotes requested by Capital, these figures make the big difference.
>> To read also – Complementary health: a new price offensive from Matmut with Cdiscount
In 2019, management fees exceeded 25% for several players, such as Allianz, Swiss Life and Viasanté, for an average of 20.6% in our panel. Some spend very little money on reimbursements, like Crédit mutuel assurances and Viasanté still, with 67 and 70.5% of premiums returned, respectively, against an average of 75%. Conversely, a few good students stand out, such as Harmonie mutuelle and Generali, who manage both to contain their management costs (respectively to 17.75 and 17.90%), while redistributing a lot to policyholders (respectively 81 , 81 and 83.40%).
Note: it is not surprising that the sum of reimbursements and operating costs sometimes exceeds 100%… or is much lower than this ratio. In the first case, it is a sign that the company probably had to use financial gains from its reserves to cover its expenses. In the second, this may indicate that, on the contrary, it has put money aside for the years to come, distributed profits, or even, in the case of mutuals, financed social action expenses.
Do not hesitate to compare your contract to this grid as well. “The information obligation is rather well respected by the 55 partners of our site”, indicates Fabien Soccio, spokesperson for the comparator Meilleureassurance.com. Note, however, that the data is not really highlighted and is most often in small print at the bottom of the quote. “It’s a great way to find out how your complementary health is performing. These costs must constitute a criterion of choice for consumers, ”explains Mathieu Escot, expert at UFC-Que Choisir. In addition, therefore, to the traditional comparison of guarantees, and contribution levels.
The other good news is that it will become, from December 1, much easier to play the competition. The Hamon law, already in force for automobile and home cover, will apply on that date to individual mutuals. So giving you the right to terminate your engagement at any time, after one year, whereas it was necessary to do so on the anniversary date of the contract, with two months’ notice. The practice of group purchasing, moreover, should develop.
Familles de France is the very first to offer it, until the end of January 2021, in collaboration with the broker Kovers, associated with the MGD mutual. “Customers will benefit throughout the duration of the contract from a 10% reduction on our standard rate”, indicates Julien Mouchet, the general manager of Kovers, which is targeting several thousand memberships. With the promise not to start the new contract until the termination of the old one, to avoid a double contribution. Of course, such solutions will be impossible if you are dependent on a collective contract. You will then have to rely on your employer, and hope that he is in a strong position to negotiate.
Exclusive: find out if your individual health insurance is costly
Your new rights vis-à-vis insurance sellers
Retirees are well aware of the scourge of telephone canvassing, which, according to a study by the UFC-Que Choisir, results in about five calls per week, often made to convince them to change health insurance. A protocol, which entered into force in July and supported by the French Insurance Federation, should put a stop to these practices.
From now on, the seller must immediately decline the name of the insurer or broker commissioning him, without pretending to be the Social Security or an alleged official administration. After a few minutes of conversation, he must ask for your consent to continue and no longer call you back if you refuse. There is no longer any question of him snatching an oral commitment from you, or via an SMS code. A twenty-four hour cooling off period should be allowed, before a second phone call. And you will have to give your consent voluntarily, by sending it by e-mail, or by returning the contract by mail.
–
