Tension is mounting between the government and complementary health insurance. The first, through the ministers of health and public accounts, asked “firmly” the seconds on October 14 to moderate their prices in 2022. Franceinfo guest on Friday November 5, Eric Chenut, the president of the French Mutuality, warns however: “Some mutuals will have to slightly increase their rates” in 2022 to support rising healthcare costs.
“We are extremely concerned about purchasing power”, he assures. “No one would have fun raising prices more than necessary, given the level of competition we are in.” However, according to the government, complementary health insurance, insurance and provident institutions saved 2.2 billion euros at the start of the health crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. False, according to the representative of the mutuals, who even speaks of an additional cost, by cumulating the years 2020 and 2021: “For mutuals alone, it’s 280 million more.”
More generally, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, criticizes the supplementary expenses for excessive management, in the order of 6 or 7 billion euros too much. Eric Chenut replies that mutuals have already made efforts: “In 2019, our management costs fell by 1.4%. In 2020, by 2%.” According to the president of the Mutualité Française, these management costs also include essential actions, particularly in terms of prevention.
Another track animates the sector: to create a “big Sécu”, by widening the role of the health insurance, which would replace the mutuals, totally or in part. The High Council for the Future of Health Insurance is thinking about it. He is due to return his report in a few days. Eric Chenut says to himself “ready to sit around the table”, but to answer what he calls the “real subjects”, like medical deserts. “These subjects deserve the support of all actors”, he believes.