Insurance of medical services in France

For most services provide a significant share of the insured consumer - from 10 to 40% of their value. As a result, about 13% of the French pay for medical services out of pocket (about the same as the Americans). [53] Moreover, since many types of medical care not covered by insurance, and some of the most high-quality health care providers refusing to work at the rates imposed by insurance funds, more than 92% of the population of France acquire additional insurance policies from private entities. [54] In reality, private insurance in France today is approximately 12.7% of all health care costs, this indicator among the industrialized countries, it is second only to Belgium (15.2%) and U.S. (35%).

In connection with the combination of payments by consumers and insurance on non-state sources account for about 20% of total health care costs - more than two times less than in the U.S., but more than in most countries where there is a public health system.

The private insurance market in France in many ways less exposed to regulation than in the U.S.. For example, if in the U.S. in 20 states operates a standard system of premiums, or their scope is limited, the French contributions to the system of private health insurance are largely differentiated. There exists no regulations that specify what benefits must be included in insurance coverage, or compulsory "guaranteed issue", pre-existing conditions of the insurance contract may subsequently be excluded from it. The only real limitation is the "guaranteed renewability" of the policy after two years of coverage. Currently, various forms of health insurance in the country offer more than 118 private insurers.

Typically the patient himself in France shall pay for treatment, and then receives compensation from public funds and / or private insurer. The amount of compensation, net of the equity of the insured based on the tariffs agreed by health care providers and the national insurance fund. These rates are similar to form our 'clinical statistical groups. "

But if the rates of compensation fixed by the State, the amounts charged for the services of doctors, are not regulated. The French system allows providers to submit bills in excess of the basic rates, and up to 30% of the doctors and do [59]. In some areas of the country, including in Paris, the proportion of physicians whose fees exceed the base rates as high as 80%. In general, however, the competition does not allow the majority of physicians over inflate their prices, compared with levels in addition, doctors working in hospitals, as opposed to-employed are less likely to go beyond the agreed tariffs.

The government also set the amount of compensation for both public and private hospitals, which are often not permitted to increase prices compared to the agreed tariff. But, while the fees for services and limited private hospitals (called "clinics") - they account for 37% of all beds for short-stay patients and 50% of beds in surgical wards - retain control of their budgets, while public hospitals operate within the overall annual budget, prepared by the Ministry of Health.