French Spending Remains High

French health fund spending rose again in March, after a slight drop in January, to post an overall increase of 0.7% for first-quarter 1995.

Reimbursements of medical and dental fees rose 0.3% in March and 0.1% in February, and medical consultation spending rose 1% in March after 0.4% in February. Overall drug spending rose 0.3% in March and 0.2% in february, but prescription drug reimbursement costs were up 0.5% in March after 0.1% in February.

These trends run counter to the government's aim of a limit of a 3% rise in health spending for 1995 as a whole.