Posted Nov 7, 2022, 6:51 PMUpdated on Nov. 7, 2022, 8:13 p.m.
Already very steep due to the coronavirus, the health expenditure bill for 2022 is about to increase. After promising last week to come to the aid of pediatric services overwhelmed by an epidemic of bronchiolitis, the government intends to correct the accounts of Social Security to revise upwards the envelope dedicated to health insurance (Ondam).
“Work is underway to rectify Ondam 2022 following recent announcements of support for the hospital for the winter,” said the Minister of Health, François Braun, in the Senate on Monday, in opening of debates in public session on the social security financing bill (PLFSS) . This rectification, of 600 million euros, was expected in the Senate in the evening through an amendment.
The draft budget at this stage sets the level of health insurance expenditure in 2022 at 246 billion euros (up 2.2% compared to the previous year). It thus already acts on a budget extension compared to what had been fixed in 2021. Enough to take into account the slippage in Covid-19 screening expenses and compensation for work stoppages.
Compensation point d’indice
The 246 billion euros already planned should also allow hospitals to compensate for the increase in the index point of civil servants and to cushion the shock of inflation on their finances. This level of expenditure must also take into account measures taken this summer to support emergencies, up to 200 million euros, specifies the PLFSS.
Since then, the government has put new millions on the table to ease the concerns of doctors and other caregivers. After promising 150 million euros in October, the government returned to the charge last week. He finally put on the table 400 million euros to respond to the difficulties of pediatrics and other services in tension at the hospital.
This envelope should make it possible to extend until next March the aid granted this summer to help hospitals get through the summer period. Among these measures, resulting from a “flash mission” on emergencies, include the increase in the remuneration of on-call and on-call duty for doctors as well as the increase in night hours for non-medical staff. The executive has also decided to expand the beneficiaries of a critical care bonus.
Expectant hospitals
These government announcements still leave hospitals waiting on their funding. “We hope that the 400 million euros are additional funding,” explains Cécile Chevance, at the French Hospital Federation. “We expect full support for the summer measures, the cost of which is estimated at 550 million euros. »
According to our information, the government was considering on Monday a budget extension for 2022 to take into account – in addition to its recent promises – the doubling of overtime pay for doctors and non-medical staff. A measure representing an additional cost of 300 million euros implemented with the Covid crisis and reactivated this summer by the former Minister of Health, Brigitte Bourguignon. The executive also planned to correct its copy to take into account additional costs for hospitals for the care of patients linked to Covid.
On the other hand, the executive would not plan at this stage to correct again the health insurance spending target for 2023. This must increase by 3.7% excluding Covid-related measures to reach 244 billion euros. euros.
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