In Montpellier, staff of the health insurance medical service denounce the plan to abolish it

Les agents du service médical ce jeudi matin devant les locaux de la Caisse primaire de Montpellier. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

The medical and administrative staff of the medical service of the Hérault health insurance fund, an activity directly attached to the national fund, demonstrated this Thursday against the project of their integration into the primary funds. The end of a “human” system, they denounce.

“We cannot disappear without a fight. We will go as far as withdrawing the project”. Around 120 people gathered this Thursday morning in front of the headquarters of the primary health insurance fund of Hérault (CPAM) on Cours Gambetta.

Responsible for validating sick leave

These administrative and medical staff of the health insurance medical service are responsible for giving opinions on sick leave, occupational illnesses, long-term illnesses or even incapacity procedures and have, until today, the particularity of being independent of the primary funds and of basing their decisions on a medical diagnosis. They are contesting the project put forward by the national health insurance fund to integrate them into the primary funds which could lead to the disappearance of these specificities.

At the national level, 7,000 agents are concerned. “At the Occitanie level, this concerns 650 employees, all bodies combined, including a third of doctors, dental surgeons and pharmacists" specifies Nathalie Frantz, doctor of the medical service in Montpellier.

Ensuring equal treatment

“Our role is to guarantee equal treatment for all insured persons. If we let the project go ahead, it won't be the same from one fund to another,” laments Sandrine Vedel, one of the department's managers and a member of Force Ouvrière, one of the five union organizations to denounce the project. “Behind medical independence, there are people, not accountants,” adds a striker. “I work on long-term illnesses. It's a ridiculous decision. When I come to work, I think about the person. The answers are studied medically. From now on, it is codes and algorithms that will validate all of this” worries Florence, who also observes “the vagueness” surrounding her integration into the primary fund.