French Health Care Deficit Falling?

France's national audit body's annual report on the social securitysystem, due end-September, is expected to show the start of a reduction in the burgeoning health services deficit, following the former Juppe administration's reforms in 1995 and 1996.

A draft of the report says trends are favorable, and though the general security system deficit remains about 50 billion French francs ($8.1 billion), income is running at 1.5% above spending. The report is understood to argue that a "prolonged effort" remains necessary to establish equilibrium in the system, and that simple reliance on overall economic improvement is not enough.