French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the government has abandoned a plan to double the annual ceiling for medical franchises [3].
The decision prevents a significant increase in out-of-pocket healthcare costs for millions of citizens, particularly those with chronic illnesses who frequently access medical services.
The proposed measure would have seen the annual cap on medical franchises rise from 100 euros to 200 euros [1]. This change was originally slated to take effect during the summer of 2026 [2].
In an interview with France Inter, Rist discussed the initial reasoning for the proposal. She said the measure was intended to assist with the budgetary management of the Social Security system. The government had planned to implement the increase via decree to avoid a potentially contentious parliamentary debate during the autumn session [1].
Despite the initial justification for the budgetary move, the project was ultimately scrapped. The abandonment of the increase is now confirmed as part of the 2026 budget [3].
The move follows concerns that doubling the cap would penalize the most vulnerable patients. By maintaining the current ceiling, the government avoids a direct financial hit to patients who reach their annual deductible limit through necessary prescriptions, and medical acts [2].
“The proposed measure would have seen the annual cap on medical franchises rise from 100 euros to 200 euros.”
The reversal highlights the political sensitivity of healthcare costs in France. While the government sought to reduce Social Security deficits through administrative decrees, the potential public backlash from chronic patients created a political risk that outweighed the projected budgetary gains.
