French pledge on chronic disease

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has given approval for an increased role for the country's mutual insurance companies in the coverage of  chronic diseases.

Pres Sarkozy said the public-sector health fund system could not fund  everything and added that he would legislate if current negotiations on  medical treatment cost overshoots did not conclude satisfactorily and  soon. He suggested that initially pilot projects could be launched on a  joint basis by the government and the mutual sector to see if the  quality and efficiency of chronic disease reimbursement could be  improved.