The Assessment of Medical Technology: The Case of France
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 March 2009
Extract
The French health system is a complex organization that has developed since 1945 as the result of a subtle combination of two fundamental principles: liberal medicine — the freedom of both the consumers and the producers of care, and solidarity — universal access to health care — embodied in a quasi-generalized system of health insurance (4).
Today, this balance, to which the French are uncontestably dedicated, appears to be precarious. It has gradually become apparent that the financing system—80% of which is based on mandatory deductions and is intended to guarantee the balance between freedom of choice and universal access — is not consistent with the dynamic of health expenditures. The growing costs of care, as witnessed by the increase of health expenses as a percentage of total household expenses from 4.5% in 1950 to 13.3 in 1985, has led to increased state control over the health care system since 1975.
- Type
- Technology Assessment Reports
- Information
- International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , January 1989 , pp. 144 - 150
- Copyright
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989
References
REFERENCES
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