Medical costs: from this Sunday, the prices of medicines, paramedical procedures and medical transport will double

Le reste à charge pour les assurés passe de 50 centimes à un euro sur chaque boîte de médicaments. ILLUSTRATION MAXPPP – Patrick Lefevre

As of this Sunday, March 31, the amount of medical deductibles will double for boxes of medicines, procedures carried out by medical assistants (1 euro compared to 50 cents) and on medical transport (4 euros). ;euros compared to two until now). This is the implementation of one of the two decrees published in the Official Journal on February 17, 2024.

Faced with the deterioration of the Social Security accounts and to encourage the French to reduce their consumption of medicines, the government announced last January the doubling of the medical franchise, that is to say the unreimbursed portion that policyholders must pay out of their own pockets.

Amount unchanged since 2008

This deductible increases from 50 cents to one euro on each box of medicine. The deductible on medical transport is also doubled from 2 to 4 ;euros, as well as on procedures carried out by medical assistants (1 euro against 50 cents).

The medical franchise on medicines, whether packaged in boxes or bottles, was created in 2008 under the five-year term of Nicolas Sarkozy. Its amount had never before been increased.

This excess is automatically deducted from the reimbursement made by Social Security. And it is not covered by complementary health insurance.

17 euros more per year on average

The impact of the doubling of deductibles had been quantified by the former Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, at an additional 17 euros, on average, per person per year.

According to government estimates, the measure should save 800 million euros for Social Security funds.