Liberal doctors believe that the upgrading of their consultations is largely insufficient. They are also worried about potential career-related obligations.
“The government must invest to make our professions attractive”, we can read in the call for walkouts which promise to be massive. All private doctors, general practitioners and specialists, are asked to close their offices and cancel their activities from Friday October 13. Most unions want this protest movement to be “unlimited.”
After the failure of conventional negotiations, which took place with Health Insurance last winter, private doctors are still very angry against consultations at 26.50 euros for general practitioners and 31.50 euros for specialists. This revaluation of 1.50 euros in both cases is insufficient in their eyes. They demand the immediate resumption of discussions and, depending on the unions, ask between 30 and 50 euros for a basic consultation.
Proposal for a law on a territorial commitment
Another point of disagreement is based on a proposed law which integrates the question of territories. Liberal doctors are up in arms against this text carried by the Horizons MP, Frédéric Valletoux, whose objective is to improve access to care for patients in the regions thanks to a territorial commitment from health professionals. However, many doctors fear that this text will bring with it new obligations for private practitioners, particularly in terms of on-call duty (nights, weekends, etc.).
Faced with these concerns, the director of Health Insurance wants to be reassuring: “You must read the proposal carefully”declares Thomas Fatôme in an interview with Doctor’s Daily posted online Monday September 18. “Frédéric Valletoux clearly reiterated that his bill did not include an individual obligation of permanent care, nor regulation of freedom of installation“, insists the boss of the CNAM.
As head of Health Insurance, Thomas Fatôme awaits the resumption of negotiations and new solutions from the unions and assures that he will not reformulate proposals which have not worked. The door therefore remains open, the ball is in the court of the doctors’ unions.