French Health Fund Spending Up 3.3%

Total health fund spending in France fell 0.1% in December 1996 but rose3.3% over the whole of 1996 to 447.7 billion French francs ($80.67 billion), say figures from the national health fund organization, the CNAM. This compares to a rise of 4.7% in 1995. Spending in the public-sector hospitals, the main source of the increase, rose 2.7% in 1996, compared with a target of 2.1%.

The government has indicated general satisfaction with the figures, especially as they follow CNAM data of a few days earlier showing a slight fall in spending on medical treatment, up 2.3% compared with a target of 2.1%. However, drug spending as a separate item grew 5.1% in 1996 against 7.5% in 1995. Funds' spending in private-sector hospitals rose 2.4%.