French CNAM Pledges "Rigor" In 1996

The leading French health fund organization, the CNAM, has said it will strengthen its rigorous policy on health spending in 1996 and meet the growth guidelines specified by the government. The statement, by CNAM president Jean-Claude Mallet, comes as Social Affairs Minister Jacques Barrot has expressed concern at the rapid growth in health care spending.

It is estimated by CNAM experts that spending in first-quarter 1996 rose at a rate that will entail growth of 3.4% over 1996 as a whole. Mr Mallet says that 1996 will be the year when all the regulatory spending controls will be strengthened.

Last year, out of eight million reimbursement cases examined by the CNAM (1.5% of the total), 10% had "anomalies" of some kind. Disciplinary cases against health care professionals of various types totaled 2,760, and the CNAM estimates that it saved 265 million French francs ($47 million) of "unjustified spending."