Consultations with the general practitioner: price, duration, prescription… we take stock of what should change

Plusieurs nouveautés vont voir le jour chez les médecins généralistes. M.ESDOURRUBAILH

Moins de prescriptions, une patientèle plus importante, et d'avantage d'installations dans les zones sous dotées… L'Assurance maladie est prête à revaloriser certains tarifs des médecins en contrepartie de nombreuses demandes.

Arm-length prescriptions will soon become increasingly rare. To counter the increase in health spending, Social Security has in fact asked general practitioners to reduce prescriptions, indicates Le Figaro. Each of these doctors generates on average 700,000 euros per year in expenses on medicines, examinations and sick leave. The subject was at the heart of the new negotiation session, this Thursday, March 14, between doctors' unions and Health Insurance.

Reduction in antibiotics, increase in patient population

Health Insurance intends to reduce the consumption of antibiotics by 10% from 2025 and by 25% in 2027. It also wants to reduce the number of “polymedicated” patients by 20%. ;nbsp;in order to avoid the harmful effects linked to taking several medications, which kill more people every year.

The list of efforts requested from private practitioners also includes more facilities in under-resourced areas and an increase in the average patient population, just like the ;hiring medical assistants to reach "10,000 contracts in 2025 and +  10 % per year from 2026". 

Revalued consultations

In return, Health Insurance now offers a rate of 30 euros at the general practitioner compared to 25 euros until now. In order to take time with the elderly or disabled, doctors will have the possibility of billing, once a year, a "long consultation" at the rate of  60 euros.

Always according to Le Figaro, consultation upgrades are also planned for geriatricians, medical gynecologists, psychiatrists or dermatologists. The internship supervisor package, for those who welcome medical students, will also be increased, going from 350 euros to 500 euros per doctor and 800 euros if he practices in a tense area.