While the laboratories are on strike from Monday November 14 for at least three days, Thomas Fatôme calls on biology professionals to “seize the proposals made by Health Insurance”.
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“We always favor dialogue”said Monday, November 14 on franceinfo Thomas Fatôme, director general of the National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM). “The door of Health Insurance is open to continue discussions, but with the logic of a lasting contribution from medical biology laboratories in our country”, he explained, while the laboratories have been on strike since Monday for three renewable days. Biologists denounce the government bill which provides 250 million euros in savings in the sector.
>> Laboratories’ strike: biologists “agree on the amount” of 250 million euros to be paid to the government “but not on the way”
And even if Lionel Barrand, president of the national union of Medical Biologists, Les BIOMED, said he was in favor on Monday on franceinfo of an exceptional Covid contribution of 250 million euros as “collective effort”Thomas Fatôme believes that “it’s not sufficient”. “Having a simple one-off exceptional contribution in 2023 does not seem to us to be completely suited to the situation”, he estimated while the laboratories saw their turnover increase during the Covid crisis to the tune of 7 billion euros in profits, according to the government.
“The large biology groups are sometimes multinationals, represent more than three quarters of biology in our country. Thanks to this concentration, they have increased their level of profitability even before the Covid”he explained. “It is a question of taking this profitability into account” and “therefore to make price adjustments which seem to us quite reasonable and quite compatible with maintaining local biology”he continued.
The Director General of the National Health Insurance Fund wishes “prioritize dialogue”. But “if there is no agreement, the ministers will be able by decree to take unilateral measures to reduce tariffs from February 2023”he recalled. “I reiterate my availability to continue the discussions, to seize the proposals that the Health Insurance has made for a few weeks now”concludes Thomas Fatôme.