French health spending on the rise

The French health fund organization, the CNAM, has confirmed the recent acceleration in health spending. Over the past 12 months, reimbursement rose 3.1% but increased 4% if the hospital sector is discounted. The February increase for general practice spending was 5.6% compared with the same month of 2006.

Doctors fees alone went up 9.8%, and drug spending rose 3.3%. The CNAM says that the February figures are "a little less high" than January but are still well above the expenditure targets set for 2007 with general medical treatment spending growth limited to 1.1%. Even the 2007 target was set in relation to year 2006 expenditure which itself was above expectations. Most observers are now saying that intervention by the government watchdog committee, the CdA, before June this year to impose cutbacks is highly probable.