French Health Spending Slows

The major French health fund, the CNAM, says that health spending in November grew 0.3%, a much more moderate rise than in the previous six months, but few believe it will have much impact on government policy. Spending in the first 11 months of 1995 rose 5.6% or, without the public-sector hospitals, three percentage points higher than the government target.

The government has fixed a 2.1% growth target for 1996, and is determined that the doctors will not repeat their performance in 1996. Claude Mafioli, president of the CSMF, one of the two main doctors' organizations, said doctors were "humiliated" by the reform, but the government has now agreed to talks to avoid a complete break with them, and Secretary of State for Health Herve Gaymard and Social Affairs Minister Jacques Barrot were meeting the CSMF and the other main doctors' group, the SML, through last week. Improved coordination is unlikely to be achievable without long-term support from the medical profession.