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.