The Senate of the right-wing opposition completed the examination of the Social Security budget on Friday, rejecting the Health Insurance spending target for 2024 (Ondam) set by the Government, in a final criticism formulated by the upper house before the vote scheduled for Tuesday.
After five days of debate at the Luxembourg Palace, senators removed article 43 of the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) relating to this spending target, set at €254.9 billion, an increase of 3.2 % compared to 2023.
Several political groups, including most on the right and the center, considered this objective to be “insincere” and “underestimated”, a warning that was already mentioned several times during the week.
“There is a risk of a slide” in a context of inflation, noted the health sector rapporteur, Corinne Imbert (related to Les Républicains).
“The challenge is controlling expenses”
“I understand the political position,” but “in part he challenges the process for lack of sincerity,” responded the Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau. “This year’s challenge, beyond controlling health insurance spending, will be to build the prevention financing model,” he added.
This warning against the government is essentially symbolic, because the executive is having its Social Security budget approved without a vote in the National Assembly through article 49.3 of the Constitution.
This allows you to choose all the measures you want to implement, such as reinstating provisions removed from your law.
During the week, the Senate had already rejected the budgetary trajectory of Social Security, whose deficit is expected to increase to 17.5 billion euros in 2027, according to Government forecasts.
Senators will be called to vote on the entire PLFSS on Tuesday, from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
On Friday, the Upper House analyzed other key measures of this health budget, such as the granting of a “temporary status” to therapeutic cannabis, the reform of the financing of nursing homes or the 100% reimbursement of wheelchairs, a commitment from the Government.
In this regard, the Minister of Solidarity, Aurore Bergé, confirmed that the promise would refer to “all chairs” and “without price limit.”
Source: BFM TV
