FRENCH HEALTH SPENDING SURPLUS

The French social security budget is expecting to post a deficit of only 2 billion French francs ($364.3 million), this year, due largely to a surprising improvement in the national health fund (CNAM), which is expected to post a surplus of 7 billion francs ($1.3 billion).

The improvement results from a range of economy measures, notably an increase in hospital fees and slightly higher national health insurance premiums. In addition, the agreements signed by the government with four main groups of health care professionals will be reflected in savings of about 1 billion francs this year. However, spending by the health funds continues to expand at a sustained rate of growth.