In an interview with Les Echos on Wednesday, March 27, the Minister Delegate for Health, Frédéric Valletoux, announced that the prices paid by the Social Security for services provided in public hospitals will increase by 4.3% in 2024 and by 0.3% for private establishments. These price increases will be used to fund salary increases and bonuses for healthcare workers, such as those who work on-call. Valletoux explains that the slower increase in prices for private establishments is due to their recent strong growth, which also affects the regulation of prices based on activity levels. He also mentions that the private sector has benefited from a portion of the exceptional €500 million aid released earlier in the year.
Valletoux emphasizes the need for specific support in sectors such as medicine, pediatrics, transplants, maternity, and palliative care, which have not fully recovered their pre-Covid activity levels. The official announcement of the grid of public and private hospital tariffs for 2024 was delayed from March 1st. The government had approved a 3.2% increase in health insurance spending as part of the social security financing law, which falls short of the approximately 10% tariff increases that public and private hospitals believe they need.
Last week, there was a split between public and private hospitals. The Conference of University Hospitals (public) had asked the government to reevaluate public hospital tariffs more strongly than those of private hospitals. This request was deemed offensive by the Federation of Private Hospitals, considering the essential role of private hospitals in patient care. These tensions highlight the challenges faced by both public and private healthcare providers in negotiating fair tariffs and funding levels to ensure quality care.
The government’s decision to increase tariffs for public hospital services more than for private establishments reflects a strategy to support essential services that have been particularly affected by the Covid-19 crisis. However, this approach has sparked debate and discontent between public and private healthcare institutions, each arguing for their specific needs and contributions to the healthcare system. Balancing these competing interests and ensuring adequate funding for all healthcare providers will be a key priority for the Ministry of Health in the coming years.
Overall, the increase in hospital tariffs in 2024 aims to address the financial needs of public and private healthcare providers while recognizing the different challenges faced by each sector. The government’s intention to prioritize certain medical specialties and services in the distribution of funding reflects a strategic approach to support critical areas of healthcare delivery. Moving forward, ongoing dialogue and collaboration between public and private healthcare stakeholders will be essential to ensure the sustainability and quality of healthcare services in France.
