The government wants to transfer funding for spa treatments to complementary health insurance to save 200 million euros

The government wants to save Health Insurance 200 million euros in reimbursement for thermal treatments, by transferring this expense to complementary health insurance, the Minister of Health said on Thursday, presenting the draft Social Security budget to the council of the National Health Insurance Fund. This transfer is part of a transfer of 700 million euros in total to complementary health insurance in 2027, said the minister, according to the text of her speech, transmitted by her cabinet.

The remaining 500 million concerns hospital expenses, indicated Stéphanie Rist, who did not give further details. Thermal treatments are now reimbursed by Health Insurance at 65% (thermal package). The government had already tried unsuccessfully last year to de-reimburse health insurance for thermal cures in the Social Security budget for 2026.

“We are bringing a significant turnaround in the financial situation of Health Insurance. Without a Social Security financing bill, the [Health Insurance] deficit would increase to 14 billion in 2027, we are targeting a little less than 8 billion euros thanks to the text presented to you today,” Stéphanie Rist underlined in particular before the Cnam council, where the social partners and user associations sit.

In any case, the bill did not convince the members of the council who rejected the text almost unanimously: 31 votes against, two abstentions (those of the CFTC) and two acknowledgments (those of the employers' union U2P). The opinion of the Cnam council is only advisory. The examination of the PLFSS 2027 begins Monday in the National Assembly, in the Social Affairs Committee.