The government wants to increase transparency in healthcare spending by directly informing patients of the amount covered by national health insurance after each consultation or medical procedure. The Minister for Public Accounts, David Amiel, announced on Friday that he is working on implementing a notification system that will allow French citizens to immediately know the cost of their care and the portion reimbursed by social security.
According to the proposed plan, patients could receive a text message after a doctor's visit, a trip to the pharmacy, a consultation at a health center, or even a hospital stay. The stated objective is to raise awareness among insured individuals about the financing of the healthcare system and the growing burden of public spending related to social protection.
A desire to strengthen transparency
For David Amiel, this measure should contribute to a better understanding of how the social security system works. The minister believes that citizens need to be better informed about how their contributions and taxes are used, as these funds a large part of the French healthcare system. Information is already accessible through reimbursement statements available on the Ameli account, but the government considers this system insufficiently visible.
The minister's office emphasizes that this notification system would make data more accessible and immediate. By receiving this information directly on their mobile phones, patients could concretely measure the true cost of medical procedures and the contribution of the national health insurance system to their care.
A context of deteriorating social accounts
This announcement comes as the finances of the Social Security system continue to deteriorate. According to the latest estimates from the Social Security Accounts Commission, the deficit could reach €23,2 billion in 2026, nearly €4 billion more than the forecasts adopted when the Social Security budget was voted on at the end of last year.
Faced with this situation, the government is seeking to promote better control of public spending while avoiding any disruption to access to healthcare. The SMS information project is expected to undergo initial trials in the coming months, in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Health.
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