French Health Spending Moderates

In France, signs are that doctors' spending on treatments andprescriptions rose 2.3% in 1996 against a growth target of 2.1%, says the CNAM fund. 1996 began with spending growth of about 4%, but spending is reckoned to have either stagnated or actually fallen since June 1996.

The CNAM says a 2.3% spending rise corresponds to a 2% trend for general practice medicine and 3% for specialists.

While there is considerable relief that spending has not repeated 1995's trend, when it rose 4.7% against a 3.3% target, Richard Bouton, president of the doctors' organization MG France, says victory should not be declared too soon; there is a risk of a resurgence in spending if health fund reforms are not put in place quickly.