Thursday, September 16, 2010

Health costs to rise to cover debt

     How can you sustain a society when you keep spending money that you do not have? Keep printing the stuff and maybe break open the kids piggy bank?  Health cost are already rising and hospitals are already laying off staff soon to follow will be the cut backs in government reimbursements for services rendered. 



                 France:
THE COSTS of a visit to the doctor could rise if the government pursues plans to balance the social security budget.
State reimbursements for certain medical acts including visits to the doctor could be cut as the state looks to bring rising debt under control.
It is looking to save €2.5bn each year to break even, before it can then tackle its deficit of €12bn.
Among the ideas proposed are to reduce the level of reimbursement for certain drugs considered "moderate" (blue labels) from 35 per cent to 30 per cent.
The part of the cost of seeing a doctor that is paid for by the patient could rise by 0.5 per cent.
Certain procedures performed in hospital will also have their reimbursements cut.
Together these measures could save €400m according to a government report, which also envisages raising the cost of accident insurance for businesses.
The measures will be released officially at the end of the month.
According to Les Echos newspaper: "The vast majority of patients will not feel the effects."
"They are politically sensitive, especially coming during the reforms to retirement. Insurers will not miss a chance to put up their prices."

1 comment:

  1. We're in a downward spiral and I don't know that anyone can stop it. We slap band-aids on it to pretend that it can be kept together with spit and bailing wire.

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