| Overview | | | | 50% of surgeries and more than 60% of cancer |
| Current population in France is about 62 million. If | | | | cases. In all hospitals, doctors, biologists, and |
| overseas territories are included, the entire | | | | dentists are all paid as "hospital practitioners." This |
| population is about 64 million. Average income per | | | | combination of public and private medical services |
| capita is US$36,550. Top income tax rate is a little | | | | produces a health care system that is open to all |
| over 48 percent. | | | | and provides the latest in medical technology. |
| Under the law of universal coverage called la | | | | Waiting lists for surgeries found in other socialized |
| Couverture maladie universelle, The French | | | | healthcare systems do not exist in France. |
| government provides mostly free health insurance | | | | Medical treatments from a routine visit to a GP to |
| through its Social Security Program | | | | major surgical procedures have a tarif (cost). |
| (Sécurité sociale). About 96% of | | | | Medical practitioners, hospitals & clinics that adhere |
| French people are covered under the system. | | | | to this tarif are defined as conventioné; |
| Private insurance provides supplemental coverage; | | | | those that do not are defined as |
| more than 85 percent of the people have | | | | non-conventioné and can charge more. Vast |
| supplemental insurance, often through their | | | | majority of practitioners (around 97%) are |
| employers. | | | | conventioné, and even a private clinic can |
| The French healthcare system has been in place | | | | be conventioné. Treatments, whether |
| for over 60 years, and has continued to evolve. | | | | private or public, is not free at the point of |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) classified it | | | | delivery. Patients first pay the full bill (tarif) and |
| the "best health system in the world" in its June | | | | are then reimbursed later (about 10 days). |
| 2000 Worldwide health systems comparison | | | | Generally speaking, Sécurité sociale |
| report. | | | | refunds 70 per cent of the cost of a visit to a |
| Coverage | | | | médecin traitant (a GP or family doctor) and |
| The Sécurité Sociale universal health | | | | most specialistes. |
| insurance covers for all or part of the healthcare | | | | Performance |
| needs: hospitalization, doctor visit, preventive care, | | | | This is the one socialized medicine system which |
| prescription drugs & medical equipment, | | | | does not have the same problems as the rest |
| emergency care & medical evacuation, dental & | | | | have. Good cooperation between the public and |
| vision. However, the plan covers about 70% of | | | | private sectors and sufficient availability of |
| actual medical fees. Prescriptions are only | | | | providers allow citizens to avoid waiting lists for |
| reimbursed from 35% to 65%. Treatment costs | | | | diagnosis, surgeries and treatment. Over 65% of |
| for long-term illnesses are fully reimbursed. There | | | | the people express satisfaction with their system. |
| is compensation in the case of pregnancy. | | | | People can choose among healthcare providers, |
| In addition, supplemental health Insurance plans, | | | | regardless of their income level. They can consult |
| generally referred to as a "Top-Up" policy or | | | | a variety of doctors and specialists or choose a |
| assurance complémentaire, sold by private | | | | public, private, university or general hospital. |
| insurance companies, are in place to complement | | | | Current life expectancy in France is 80.7, with |
| the Social Security's coverage. There are a wide | | | | French women having the second highest life |
| variety of providers offering an extensive range | | | | expectancy in the world. The World Health |
| of plans and premium schedules to meet individual | | | | Organization (WHO) classified the French system |
| circumstances. | | | | the "best health system in the world" in June |
| Funding | | | | 2000. |
| Most of the funds come from social security | | | | Deficiency |
| taxes on salary and income. Employers pay 12.8% | | | | Even the best health care system in the world |
| on employees' total gross salary, while employee | | | | has its own set of problems. Because of the high |
| adds in 0.75%. Another tax called General Social | | | | level of reimbursement and coverage, French |
| Contribution (CSG) introduced in 1991 helps to | | | | health care is among the most expensive in the |
| reduce shortfalls. It is 7.5%, calculated from 95% | | | | world. Its budget is the world's third largest, |
| of the gross salary. The CSG is inclusive all | | | | accounting for 11% of GNP. Rising costs and aging |
| income, as well as the income of capital and | | | | population make it a struggle for France to |
| property. Taxes on alcohol and tobacco also | | | | finance this system. If spending continues at the |
| contribute to the overall funding. | | | | current rate, the health service may be 70 billion |
| Actual budget varies according to revenue earned | | | | Euros in debt by the end of 2020. |
| through taxes each year. But rising costs has | | | | Waste is another problem within the system. |
| caused the system running constant deficits since | | | | Sources suggest that patients "shop" for doctors, |
| 1985, which has ballooned to over $14 billion and | | | | visiting multiple specialists until they receive the |
| continues to grow. In 2004, French people spend | | | | diagnosis they want. One fifth of the country's |
| $3,500 Per-capita on health care. That's around | | | | health spending goes to pharmaceuticals due to |
| 10.7% of their GDP. | | | | overuse of prescription drugs. |
| The French system is often categorized as a | | | | Doctors Without Borders organization estimates |
| mixed system in which public and private provision | | | | that over 300,000 people in France are now |
| and funding co-exist. Private health insurance is | | | | without health-care coverage under a universal |
| more important in France than in any other | | | | health care system. |
| European countries. | | | | Reform |
| Delivery | | | | French reformers' first priority is to move health |
| There are two large organizations that work | | | | insurance financing away from payroll and wage |
| under the Ministry of Health: General Health | | | | levies because they hamper employers' willingness |
| Management and Hospital & Healthcare | | | | to hire. Instead, France is turning toward broad |
| Management, under which there are three types | | | | taxes on earned and unearned income alike to |
| of health care facilities and agencies, which are | | | | pay for health care. |
| public hospitals, private clinics and not-for-profit | | | | The debates on how to balance the budget and |
| healthcare centers. | | | | avoid deficits have been ongoing without |
| There are 1,032 hospitals under the public hospital | | | | acceptable solutions. |
| statute. Regional, university, local and general | | | | Efforts by the administration to control costs by |
| hospitals are included in this category. There are | | | | cutting overly rich benefits and by managing |
| 2,139 private for profit and not-for-profit | | | | waste have met stiff resistance. |
| healthcare facilities actively treating more than | | | | |