The National Assembly is due to rule on Tuesday, October 26 in the afternoon at first reading on the heavy 2022 budget of the Social Security and its measures for the elderly, supplemented by the deputies but still considered insufficient by the oppositions. This last five-year Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) should however be adopted without a hitch and go to the Senate. Weighing more than 500 billion euros, this budget anticipates at this stage a deficit of 21.6 billion euros, much less than the two previous years, thanks to the effects of growth. Some five billion remain provisioned to deal with the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis.
"No savings will be made at the expense of the public hospital"
, promised the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, while the left doubts it.
The commitments of Ségur for health continue for 2.7 billion, mainly for the salary increase of nursing staff.
Read also The Social Security deficit will remain abysmal for many years
It is the section devoted to the elderly with loss of autonomy that occupied most of the debates at the Palais Bourbon, at the end of last week.
Deputy Minister Brigitte Bourguignon calls for a
“systemic reform”
with a
“domiciliary shift”
, to allow the elderly to stay at home as long as possible.
Some 400 million euros are earmarked in this budget to better finance home help services, as well as for nursing homes a presence of caregivers and increased recruitments.
The devices must increase in load, up to 1.3 billion in 2025, giving shape to the fifth branch of the Social Security dedicated to autonomy, created last year.
"We scratch what we can scratch"
The right points to the effects of
"communication"
and charges for the departments; the left remains
"circumspect" for
lack of specific law for old age, long promised and then abandoned by the executive.
"We scratch what we can scratch"
but what
"a gap between your gigantic ambitions and the means you are putting in place"
, rose the rebellious François Ruffin, author of the recent documentary
Debout les femmes!
on these
“bond professions”
such as life support workers. The private companies providing services to the elderly and disabled, i.e. around 45% of the sector, have not guaranteed wage increases, despite a
Additional
“quality endowment”
adopted during the meeting.
The deputies met during a moment of harmony, voting unanimously to broaden the criteria for leave for the benefit of caregivers, and to compensate them at the minimum wage.
Thus, more people should be able to support an elderly, sick or disabled loved one.
Read alsoA 2022 Social Security budget with very little ... savings
Parliamentarians were also unanimous on other provisions, such as the extension to women aged 18 to 25 of full coverage of contraception. To this bill rich in daily measurement, the deputies added increased supervision of health centers, in particular dental and ophthalmological centers, after abuses ranging from mistreatment to mutilation and financial abuse. And they translated Emmanuel Macron's announcement at the end of September in favor of mental health: eight sessions with the psychologist could be covered by Health Insurance from the beginning of 2022 for children over three years old and adults.
Direct access to orthoptists, who will be able in particular to prescribe glasses, without consultation with an ophthalmologist, has on the other hand been debated.
This article is at the origin of a strike until October 31 of the ophthalmologists against what they see as a "degradation of the quality of care" with direct access to these paramedical professionals.
Conversely, the government defends better access to visual care for the French, given the shortage of ophthalmos.
The subject of medical deserts arose repeatedly during the two days of exchanges, while the measures taken to promote installations in underserved areas are slow to take effect.
Voices even in the majority plead for firmer rules for doctors.