WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE PARIS - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, UCL AL #374 - Healthcare policy: the government is gutting Social Security (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Taking advantage of the summer lull in activism, the Lecornu government has made announcements that continue the trend of dismantling Social Security and its founding principle of solidarity across professions and generations. Healthcare policies appear to be driven not by studies from competent institutional bodies-such as the Social Security Directorate-but rather by plutocratic ideologies. --- Introduced in 2004 and 2008 respectively, the flat-rate healthcare co-payment[1]and the medical deductible[2]will affect 13 million people in 2026-including those with chronic or long-term illnesses (ALD), recipients of permanent disability annuities due to occupational diseases or workplace accidents, disability pension holders, and retirees. Reimbursements? De-reimbursements! Furthermore, decrees issued on August 21 increase the *ticket modérateur*[3]-the portion of costs remaining after health insurance funds have made their reimbursement, which supplementary health insurance plans usually cover in full. This inevitably shifts an increasing share of expenses onto mutual insurers and private insurance companies. These organizations-which already failed to honor the premium freeze mandated by Article 13 of the 2026 Social Security Financing Act-will not hesitate to sharply raise their premiums. And this is happening at a time when 2.5 million people already lack supplementary health insurance. Daily sickness allowances have long been in the crosshairs of successive governments. Now, the focus has shifted to capping the duration of prescriptions and extending the waiting period before benefits kick in. Indeed, work stoppages account for approximately 10% of the total budget of the health insurance branch. Yet, nearly a quarter of these are caused by workplace accidents or occupational diseases[4]. Adjusting the net minimum wage (SMIC) to keep pace with inflation is another factor driving up the cost of daily sickness allowances. Since wages below 1.5 times the minimum wage are exempt from social security contributions-effectively allowing employers to avoid paying the socialized portion of these wages-this shortfall in the Social Security budget must be recouped elsewhere. On July 22, the Prime Minister called for an "effort" from those who purchase more than 50 boxes of medication per year or visit the doctor more than 25 times. This new idea-pulled out of a hat without supporting data-would once again affect people suffering from chronic or severe illnesses (classified as *ALD* or long-term conditions). It would also impact people with disabilities-the very people for whom the government has already voted to freeze the disability allowance (AAH) in 2026. These are individuals facing a lack of recognition regarding their disabilities-a situation not improved by the recent reform of the departmental disability centers (MDPH). This pattern of making an announcement only to later abandon it creates additional anxiety for people who already face an uncertain future in an ableist society that refuses to guarantee the material conditions for a free and dignified life for all. Sadly, adapting our environment to meet our vital needs is not considered part of health prevention. Anti-ableist organizations are sounding the alarm about barriers to healthcare access, insufficient resources, ill-suited systems, and the growing precariousness of these populations. Indeed, health policies themselves are a factor contributing to the disablement of individuals. Neoliberal propaganda aimed at dismantling Social Security Following the late-July announcement that medical co-payments would be doubled, the government stated that the move "was not understood and may have appeared harsh." In recent years, it has become common practice for successive governments to make a harsh announcement, only to backtrack later and propose a reform that seems more "realistic" by comparison. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist told *Le Figaro* as early as August 20: "We have clarified the situation, and we are now working on a fair reform based on indexation to inflation since 2005[...]Consequently, the increase will be significantly lower than originally envisaged." These announcements run counter to the very principle of Social Security-a principle that actually calls for the abolition of co-payments and patient cost-sharing! Demonstration in defense of Social Security, Paris, October 16, 2014. Credits: Photothèque du mouvement social/Romani The government dismisses the impact of working conditions on health. Occupational health services are under-resourced; all that remains are the statistics. Amidst the crisis of capitalism, work paces have intensified and workplace accidents have increased[5]. In this drive to maximize profit, work-related illnesses and disabilities are becoming more frequent, yet efforts are still made to cut costs at the expense of people who are already exploited and living in precarious conditions. Capitalist propaganda speaks of "burdens" and has made us forget that social security contributions are actually part of our wages-a form of deferred, collective pay that covers, among other things, our healthcare needs. This is why exemptions from these contributions do not alarm the general public. The same applies to the Social Security annual ceiling-the mechanism that caps contributions on high salaries. Yet, all these measures represent lost revenue for the Social Security budget and are thus factors widening the so-called "Social Security deficit." The myth of fraud Framing "insufficient revenue" as a result of "social security fraud" is another propaganda tool widely echoed by the media. However, this narrative is not backed by statistical data. Allegations of fraud remain purely hypothetical, whereas fraud by healthcare professionals (in private facilities and private practice) has been extensively documented for some twenty years. Furthermore, while the principle of Social Security solidarity was intended to guarantee universal healthcare benefits, the introduction of social safety-net allowances[6]has stigmatized the recipients of such benefits. The lack of a legal framework to prevent employers from creating precarious jobs serves to brand precarious workers as mere "welfare dependents." It is more necessary than ever to reclaim Social Security and extend it to all areas of life, in order to make it what it should never have ceased to be: a tool for the struggle against capitalism. The UCL Social Security Working Group Confirm [1]A fixed amount deducted from the cost of all consultations or procedures performed by a doctor, as well as from radiological examinations and medical laboratory tests. [2]An amount deducted from reimbursements for medication, paramedical services, and medical transport. [3]Applies to medications with low or moderate "Medical Service Rendered" (SMR) ratings, medical devices, dental care, and medical transport. [4]"Sick leave: beyond the effects of the health crisis, an acceleration since 2019," Drees, December 13, 2024. [5]Ibid. [6]Law of July 30, 1956. https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Politique-de-sante-le-gouvernement-massacre-la-Secu _________________________________________ Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca