French Funds, Doctors Agree 1995 Targets

The major French health funds and leading doctors' groups have agreed a controversial 3% rise for 1995 in general practice medical spending, linked to a revaluation of doctors' fees in March and October. They would also introduce 80 new good medical practice guidelines, which carry financial sanctions.

However, the government has proposed a rise of 2.3%, and has told the doctors that there will be no fee rise in october unless health spending curbs show results. Social Affairs Minister Simone Veil has already conceded a revision of fees from March 1, with consultants and general practitioners getting a five-franc ($0.92) rise per consultation. But talks before Christmas saw disagreement between the government and medical unions over fees, and the unions and the CNAMTS now say that promises have been broken and the system of annual global agreements has collapsed.

A government spokesman has reaffirmed the policy of keeping spending growth in 1995 on general medical treatment to 2.3%, with 2.8% the absolute ceiling. He said a fee revision from March 1 was not a problem but if this occurred, there could be no rise on October 1. The government has made it clear that it does not want to tie the hands of any future administration, post-elections. Mrs Veil has written to the negotiating parties that the March agreement will entail a rise in fees overall from 1994 to 1995 to 3.3 billion French francs ($278.5 million), up 4.3%, considerably higher than inflation. An October fee revision would be "premature" in these circumstances, she adds.