Éric Chenut, president of the Mutualité française, asked on Tuesday July 12 on franceinfo that “sanctions be implemented” against opticians who do not play the game. Seven out of ten opticians are in violation by not offering a 100% supported offer, according to a report from the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), published Thursday 7 July. It’s necessary “the renunciation of care is declining in our country”.
The remaining charge fell by 30% for dental care and 40% for hearing aids, while it increased by 18 euros for opticians. “There is no reason” that the 100% Health “will lead to an increase in opticians’ margins”he denounced.
franceinfo: Have the French taken up this reform?
Eric Chenut: Gradually, the French seized it thanks to the mobilization of the Health insurance, the mutuals. Today, you can access optical equipment, hearing aids, dental care, both conservative care and dental prostheses without any charges. This is being done gradually because we see it with studies and surveys, despite information, still too many of our fellow citizens do not know it. We have a duty of pedagogy, information, advice to ensure that the renunciation of care declines in our country.
Seven out of ten opticians are in violation by not offering a 100% covered offer. How to reverse this trend?
We ask that checks be carried out more systematically. When there is deviation, when there is denigration, when there is a lack of information, sanctions must be implemented, as provided for in the framework of the 100% health agreement. All this is financed by socialized money from Social Security, by mutualized money from mutual insurance companies. And there is no reason for this to lead to increased margins for opticians. Dental surgeons make a number of efforts thanks to 100% health. We have lowered the rest payable by our fellow citizens by an average of 91 euros, or approximately 30%. For audioprosthetists, it is a reduction in the rest to be paid by 500 euros on average, or 40% of the basket of expenses that existed until then. And in optics, while commitments had been made, this remaining charge increased by 18 euros.
How much is it costing you?
On all complementary health, it is 2.5 billion nationally on the 3.2 billion of all these expenses in audiology, optics and dentistry. Mutual funds represent 77% of expenditure. It is the mutuals that finance most of the 100% health insurance. But this solidarity distribution allows many of our fellow citizens to no longer give up care. It is a useful and fair reform.
Is there a risk that the price of mutuals will increase in the coming months, in the coming years?
Part of the increase has been made since 100% Health started in 2020. In 2021, it has grown gradually. The trend of health expenditure continues to increase, but of course, we make sure to increase only what is strictly necessary, that is to say the distribution of this expenditure on all of the insured persons.