Doctolib unfavorable to forcing patients to register their bank details when making their appointment online

Doctolib says it is against patients recording their bank details when they make their appointment online to pay the “rabbit” tax in the event of absence, France Inter reported on Wednesday April 10. Last Saturday, Gabriel Attal indicated that he wanted to charge a tax of 5 euros in the event of a medical appointment not being honored without warning at least 24 hours in advance.

These medical “bunnies” represent between 6 and 10% of appointments, according to different estimates. The idea, specified the Minister for Health Frédéric Valletoux, would be to ask patients to provide their bank details when they block their medical slot on online platforms. In the event of absence, the doctor could then withhold the sum of 5 euros.

Another administrative burden

Doctolib claims to agree with the “rabbit” tax but for the co-founder and CEO of the platform, Stanislas Niox-Château, “we must not create a new administrative burden for caregivers and hinder access to care.” He is pointing out that “20% of patients are electronically impaired and 5% do not have a bank card. It is unthinkable, according to him, to hinder access to care for them.” Moreover, what will doctors who are not on the platforms do? “to manage the majority of appointments that are not made online? How will practitioners manage patient complaints and disputes ?, asks Stanislas Niox-Chateau. VS“It is unimaginable to imagine that secretariats will register bank cards.”

For the CEO of Doctolib, doctors must keep control of this “rabbit” tax to know which patient to sanction. He also thinks that it is up to health insurance to manage this tax, for example by deducting 5 euros from the patient’s next appointment. Note that the amount collected would go entirely to the practitioner concerned, according to the Prime Minister’s announcements.