Medical analysis laboratories ordered to close from Friday to Monday against a reduction in reimbursements by health insurance, “a unilateral and destructive measure”

The health insurance budget envelope has already been reduced twice since 2023.

Four unions are calling on medical analysis laboratories, in towns and hospitals, to close from Friday, September 20 until Monday, September 23, inclusive. The movement aims to protest against a reduction in “by almost 9%” from the health insurance budget envelope “dedicated to the reimbursement of biology exams”they write in a letter.

“This represents a drop of 360 million euros over the next 12 months.” while this envelope has already been reduced twice since 2023. This new reduction, decided at the beginning of September by the director of the Primary Health Insurance Fund, is “a unilateral and destructive measure”, according to the inter-union.

“When an act is worth 5 euros, it will be worth 4.50 euros the next day”, François Blanchecotte, a biologist in Joué-les-Tours and president of the National Union of Medical Biologists, explains to France Bleu Touraine. According to him, the margins of laboratories are decreasing and some are finding it increasingly difficult to “pay for staff, transportation, to go and collect tubes in the countryside.”

However, laboratories must continue to invest “because it is a profession dependent on technology, and which is hungry for innovation”underlines Marseillais Patrick Lepreux, president of the Bioprat union, interviewed by France Bleu Provence. “If we have significant revenues, it is because we need to make permanent investments.”

In Indre-et-Loire, the department’s 35 analysis laboratories will be closed from Friday to Monday. The movement will also be followed in Var and Bouches-du-Rhône. Patients are advised to plan or postpone their medical analyses outside of the strike dates. The inter-union does not rule out continuing the movement if it does not win its case.