“A foreigner, illegal, who arrives in our country benefits from the entire range of free care, it is in particular state medical aid that we will eliminate. So we will reserve social benefits for the French, believe me It will make a lot of savings in the finances of the State”, said the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, interviewed Thursday, March 24, on CNews.
“We will reserve social benefits for the French”, announces Jordan Bardella pic.twitter.com/MxkVioQ8TD
— CNEWS (@CNEWS) March 24, 2022
Are all treatments reimbursed?
It is false to assert that a foreigner in an irregular situation benefits from the same coverage as another French social security holder. First to touch the AME, the procedure is not automatic, it is necessary to make the request by depositing a file. There are three criteria to be met: being in an irregular situation, for at least 3 months on French soil, and not receiving more than 727 euros. The AME, once granted, does not however cover all the benefits of health.
The AME notably excludes spa treatments, medically assisted procreation procedures and so-called “low medical benefit” medicines. Moreover, with the AME, not all care is necessarily reimbursed at 100%. For glasses, for example, but also dental care or hearing aids, the AME is content to pay within the limit of the basic social security rates.
Remove the AME to save money?
A report from the General Inspectorate of Finance dating from 2019 casts doubt on this. This report recalls that the AME represents only 0.6% of public health expenditure. At the end of 2018, there were just under 320,000 beneficiaries of the AME for a total cost of around 900 million euros. This finance inspection report itself says that it is necessary “consider with caution any evolution of the AME”, because it could even cost the state more. The risk relates in particular to the renunciation of care. Without timely care, the state of health of these people could deteriorate and ultimately lead to heavier, and therefore more expensive, care.
This same report also recalls that France must respect international commitments which impose a minimum access to care for people in an irregular situation. France has notably signed the United Nations Convention or the European Convention on Human Rights, which oblige it.