Medical deserts: “Forcing doctors to settle in certain territories will have a counter-productive effect”, considers François Braun

Thursday February 23, François Braun, Minister of Health and Prevention, is the guest of “4 Truths” on France 2. Three years after the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, François Braun declares that “the latest figures are reassuring”. “We have an extremely low background of infection, which looks more and more like episodes of flu infection for example. But I’ve said it from the start: let’s be careful. (…) We are no longer in a health emergency, but of course, I continue to follow this development very closely”assures the Minister of Health.

Increase in consultation fees

François Braun then returns to the request for an increase in the price of consultations by general practitioners. The National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM) proposed an increase of 1.50 euro in the consultation, which was considered a “provocation” by the unions of general practitioners. François Braun believes that he “Maybe we need to put things in their place” and explains that“1.50 euros more for the consultation, overall for a doctor, it’s 7,000 euros more per year, it’s a nice thirteenth month”. Asked about ways to tackle medical deserts, François Braun believes that“forcing doctors to settle in certain territories will have a counter-productive effect”.