and whose effects will be felt in full next year

This is a first. Today, the National Union of complementary health insurance agencies (Unocam) will officially give its opinion on the Bill for financing social security (PLFSS), prior to its adoption by the Council of Ministers, on 11 October. La Mutualité Française (FNMF), the French Federation of insurance companies (FFSA), and the technical Centre of provident institutions (CTIP) so will be able to share to the Government their observations on the planned evolution of health spending. Bring numbers loads transfers envisaged compulsory health insurance (AMO) to complementary. And seek clarification on the impact on their support, some measures still in gestation.

In return for this right, provided for by law, the three families of complementary insurers are committed to adopt a common speech. A way to establish the legitimacy of the Unocam, who will judge still too little informed, consulted and associated with the debates by the Government.

A priori, the debate promises to be less contentious than in 2004 and 2005, the effects of the reform of insurance beginning to dissipate. Complementary are well forced to see out of transfers, the trend is to the slowdown of the expenses of health insurance. The objective for 2007 (Ondam) is an increase limited to 2.5, comprising in a growth rate of 3.5 for the hospital and 0.8 for the care of city. In the matter, the Government table on a decline of 2.7 on prescription medications, stability on daily allowances, and an increase of 3.5 to 4 on the fee.

Ambitious expenditure

The effect will be more depreciated for the complementary product mix is more oriented toward the care of city (86 of activity) of the scheme compulsory. According to preliminary calculations by the CTIP, the Ondam should impact increased benefits from 1.3 to 1.5 for complementary in 2007.

Nevertheless, the three families of insurers are vigilant. First, they do not hide that this objective of spending, especially on its drug component, is ambitious. Especially during an election period. "The rate of the basi is rather low, without that we see really what means are available to comply", note Daniel Lenoir, Director General of the FNMF. "If the basi is not respected, it runs the risk of transfers during the year that it will not be able to integrate into the contracts," continues the FFSA.

For the time being, the PLFSS contains only a few transfers loads of the mandatory regime to complementary. Most correspond to already announced measures (Expeditor bi-zone, drugs not related to diseases of long duration, package hospital daily...), and whose effects will be felt in full next year. The CTIP and net to EUR 250 million, which would correspond to an increase in the benefits of 1.25.

Contributions: increases justified

What justify, a priori, the increases in contributions between 2 and 4. Last year, the increase had turned on average around 5 to 6. The FNMF table on its side for 2007 on an increase in co-payments per person protected between 3.2 and 3.5. But the games are not yet fully made. The complementary expect a little more about what is not integrated in the PLFSS, as the third wave of drugs to medical service rendered, the creation of optional sector, or some current thoughts on ophthalmology.

In the background, they appear to also anxious to prove that contributions made in recent years increases were justified. "There is a parallelism between the evolution of expenditure and contributions," says the FFSA, ensuring that the additional margins are low. An early response to the investigation of the DGCCRF would be carrying out on the world of complementary health