French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist has announced that the government is dropping its plan to double the annual cap on out-of-pocket medical deductibles. The decision follows intense criticism from patient advocacy groups over the proposed increase from 100 euros to 200 euros.
In an interview published Thursday, August 20, in French daily newspaper Le Figaro, Rist said ministers decided to modify their proposal after acknowledging that the initial plan was poorly understood and appeared overly abrupt.
She confirmed that while the cap will still rise, the increase will be significantly lower than originally planned. The ministry is now working on a reform that will index the limit to inflation accumulated since 2005.
Rist defended adjusting the threshold by explaining that the 100 euro ceiling has remained unchanged since 2005, even as inflation altered living standards and medical expenses. She noted that relative to living costs, the cap has effectively fallen, making an adjustment reasonable to maintain the same proportional contribution from patients.
Patient federation warns of impact on sickest
The original proposal to double the cap triggered widespread backlash from patient representatives across France. Mainstream patient umbrella group France Assos Santé denounced the planned 200 euro ceiling as a monumental error.
In July, France Assos Santé warned that doubling the ceiling would guilt-trip and financially strain vulnerable individuals and patients with multiple chronic conditions. Deductibles and fixed co-payments represent out-of-pocket expenses that are covered neither by France's state health insurance system, Assurance Maladie, nor by private complementary insurers.
These non-reimbursable fees apply to doctor consultations, prescription medication, paramedical services, biological tests, radiological examinations, and medical transport.
Gérard Raymond, president of France Assos Santé, stated in July that the increase represented a double, triple, or quadruple penalty for the sickest patients. He noted that chronically ill patients already face heavy out-of-pocket charges, including medical fee overruns, struggle to find available doctors, and are unfairly singled out over healthcare costs.
Research highlights burden on vulnerable households
Concerns over the financial strain on vulnerable patients are supported by official government research. A study published in February by Drees, the statistical research service of the French Health Ministry, revealed that raising annual deductible caps imposes a greater burden on elderly households and people in poor health than increasing unit deductible charges.
Medical deductibles were introduced in France in 2005 to help control state healthcare spending. While Assurance Maladie provides primary coverage for medical care, patients remain responsible for fixed deductible amounts up to the annual limit.
Health ministry officials are currently finalizing the details of the inflation-linked calculation. The government has not yet announced when the updated deductible cap will take effect.
