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[Rationalization of health expenditures: the Séguin's plan in 1987]
1Service de Droit et Economie Pharmaceutiques, UFR de Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Université Bordeaux II.
Cahiers De Sociologie Et De Demographie Medicales
|April 1, 1993
Summary
France's universal sickness insurance, funded by employer and employee contributions, faced rising costs. A 1987 co-payment program for those with severe illnesses was initially successful but saw diminished impact due to system adjustments.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Public Health Policy
- Social Insurance Systems
Background:
- France's universal sickness insurance system, financed by employer and employee contributions, faces escalating costs impacting national economic competitiveness.
- Previous cost-containment efforts primarily involved increasing co-payment rates for insured individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a 1987 co-payment program introduced for a previously exempt group: individuals with severe illnesses.
- To analyze the program's success as a breakthrough in the French system, balancing insurance principles with social solidarity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the implementation and outcomes of the 1987 co-payment policy targeting specific patient groups.
- Examination of the French healthcare system's structure, including its insurance and solidarity components.
Main Results:
- The 1987 co-payment program achieved initial success, representing a significant policy innovation within the French healthcare framework.
- Over time, the program's impact was reduced due to insufficient information systems and adaptive responses from patients and healthcare providers.
Conclusions:
- While innovative, the long-term effectiveness of the 1987 co-payment policy was constrained by systemic and behavioral factors.
- The study highlights the challenges in controlling healthcare costs within universal insurance systems, even with targeted interventions.