It’s time to save money. And they should avoid at least 800 million euros a year in health insurance costs, whose accounts last year still showed a deficit of 11.1 billion euros. From this Sunday, a doubling of medical deductibles for first aid kits, paramedical procedures and medical transport came into force, ahead of another increase in fixed contributions for medical procedures.
These two measures should lead to additional costs of at least 17 euros per year for the average patient, former Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau mentioned last fall. That’s what’s changing.
What are the new medical deductible amounts?
From now on you will have to shell out 1 euro out of pocket for a box of medicines and for a paramedical procedure (compared to 0.50 euros before) and 4 euros for medical transport (compared to 2 euros). The daily medical excess limit, which is the maximum amount you can be charged, is also doubled to €4 per day for paramedical procedures and €8 per day for medical transport. There is no daily limit on medications.
This amount cannot be reimbursed by VHI under a responsible contract (i.e. in almost all cases). On the other hand, the annual medical deductible cap will ultimately be neither abolished nor increased: in total you will not pay more than 50 euros per year, regardless of your consumption. Persons under 18 years of age, women on maternity leave and recipients of additional solidarity medical care and state medical assistance are exempt from medical deductibles.
How will you pay?
Medical deductibles are automatically deducted from reimbursements made by health insurance. In the case of third party payment, that is, if you do not pay for medicines or care, “the medical deductible will be deducted later from any further amount paid (compensation, consultations, care, radiology tests, nursing procedures, transportation …) for you or one of your children,” clarifies the site ameli.fr.
The primary health insurance fund on which you depend may also require payment from you if you are unable to receive reimbursement. Payment can be made through an online debt repayment service.
How do you know if you’ve reached the ceiling?
In your Ameli account, in the “My Payments” section, your reimbursement statements are available, which indicate the amount of each deductible taken. On the “Unified premiums and deductibles” tab, you can view the total amount of medical deductibles paid for a particular year and the amount of fixed contributions (at consultations). Each of these two contributions has its own annual ceiling of 50 euros.
What will be the increase in fixed contributions for medical procedures?
A decree was also published in mid-February establishing an increase in fixed fees for medical consultations, tests and x-ray examinations. But it still has not come into force, which should happen on May 15, the Ministry of Health clarified to colleagues from Capital. Still set at 1 euro, it will double, as the government has been saying for months… But it could well triple. Because the text provides that from now on the amount of the fixed contribution cannot, without being less than 2 euros, exceed 3 euros. The Council of Health Insurance Funds (Uncam) is due to determine this in the coming weeks. Enough to foreshadow a final (bad) surprise for policyholders in this matter.
Source: Le Parisien
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