there is no “reduction in reimbursement, but a different distribution”, assures the deputy director of the National Health Insurance Fund

There is no “lower reimbursement, but a different distribution”explained Friday, June 16 on franceinfo Marguerite Cazeneuve, deputy director of the National Health Insurance Fund, while the management of Social Security announced the drop in dental care coverage from 70% to 60% from from October 1, 2023. The difference, which represents 500 million euros per year, will have to be compensated by complementary health insurance.

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Franceinfo: What is the reason for this decision to reimburse less?

Marguerite Cazeneuve: It’s not a reduction in reimbursement, but a different distribution. What matters, in the end, is the patient. Our challenge is that dental care be better reimbursed and that we reduce what the French pay out of pocket when they go to the dentist. Dental care is one of the treatments that are the least well taken care of. There are social inequalities and sometimes a renunciation of care.

What is needed to better reimburse patients?

To better reimburse dental care, we need to have a coalition of actors. There is Social Security, Health Insurance; but complementary health insurance and dentists must also contribute. In 2019, during the 100% health reform that was put in place, prostheses became free for a certain number of patients because thanks to this coalition, dentists capped their prices, Health Insurance increased its reimbursement and complementary health insurance have agreed to cover all the remaining expenses.

Why prioritize dental care?

Because these are the treatments for which the management is the least good. We have made a lot of progress since 2019, but this is still the part of healthcare where there is still a significant outlay for patients. This is where we have priority reforms to carry out. It is also on dental health that there is a priority issue in terms of prevention. If we manage, between the ages of 3 and 24, to have real prevention with annual check-ups and real maintenance of the teeth, there will be no caries care behind or prosthetic care. So we will have a measure that will be very strong in terms of public health, the reduction of social and also economic inequalities.