The Senate is currently considering the government’s “immigration” bill. There has been a lot of talk about article 3 concerning the regularization of undocumented workers, but another point that is debated is state medical aid, AME.
State medical aid (AME) is a system allowing foreigners in an irregular situation to be covered 100% by the State for their medical and hospital costs. The “immigration” bill, which arrived in the Senate on Monday November 6, is debated around the regularization of undocumented workers in sectors in tension, but also on the reform and restriction of this AME demanded by the right.
State medical aid represents more than a billion euros. For 2024, it is estimated at 1.2 billion out of an overall health spending budget of nearly 250 billion euros. An amendment tabled by right-wing senators in the “immigration” law proposes to transform this AME into AMU, “emergency” medical aid, to reduce its scope, and limit it to minimal care.
Cost contested by the government
It is a very political subject, on which the majority itself is torn apart. A few weeks ago, the Prime Minister launched a mission to see whether or not adaptations were necessary to this state medical aid. Élisabeth Borne therefore ordered Patrick Stéfanini, classified on the right, and Claude Évin, former socialist minister of Health, to study the file.
For the moment, we only have their interim conclusions. But it appears that “this medical aid, launched more than 20 years ago, is not a factor of attractiveness” to come to France. The AME concerns nearly 400,000 people and many foreigners do not apply for it: the recourse rate is 50%. Finally, a person with AME does not consume more care and medication than someone who is not there.
Public order usefulness recalled by doctors
Doctors are mobilizing “for” AME. Last week in the newspaper The world, 3,000 caregivers signed a platform. They explain that for humanitarian reasons but also for public health, the system must be kept as it is. According to them, the sooner we treat illegal immigrants, the more we limit the risks of worsening their state of health. An illness treated too late often costs more for Social Security. The AME also prevents the spread of epidemics to the rest of the population.
For example, caregivers cite the case of Spain, which in 2012 limited access to care for foreigners and which in 2018 reversed course, noting an increase in infectious diseases and excess mortality among everyone.