Proposed Health Insurance Cuts in Budget 2026: Medef looks to save €6.5 billion
In a bid to address the increasing healthcare costs and ensure the sustainability of the system, the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) has presented 93 proposals for controlling healthcare spending growth in the 2026 budget.
The MEDEF's focus is on digitalization in the healthcare sector to improve efficiency, prioritizing quality and relevance. The proposals aim to reduce unnecessary healthcare expenses, including redundant examinations, by advocating for the mandatory use of My Health Space (Mon Espace Santé) for doctors to consult for certain prescriptions.
One of the key measures suggested by MEDEF is the standardization of daily allowances paid by Social Security to simplify management. However, the organization cautions against setting a flat rate of 0.5 minimum wage for daily allowances, as it could potentially penalize employees not covered by a complementary scheme due to insufficient seniority.
The MEDEF also proposes introducing unpaid leave days for public order or specific social purposes to reduce costs related to sick leave or health-related absenteeism. The organization suggests that the waiting period could no longer be covered for the third sick leave of an employee in the same calendar year.
While the MEDEF's proposals do not specify how these measures would be implemented, they do identify up to 6.5 billion euros in mobilizable savings for the next Social Security budget. It is worth noting that the proposals do not address potential impacts on employees who are not covered by a complementary scheme or the overall economy.
Patrick Martin, the president of MEDEF, stated that the best way to ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system is to create conditions for deficits to be absorbed. The MEDEF's recommendations also include establishing one or more unpaid public order leave days that are not covered by Social Security and not taken over by employers.
These proposals are part of MEDEF's ongoing efforts to contribute to economic and social policy discussions, including healthcare expenditure control. For a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the 93 proposals, it is recommended to consult official MEDEF publications or statements from the French Ministry of Health or Budget for 2026.
The MEDEF believes that digitalization in the health-and-wellness sector, particularly with the mandatory use of My Health Space, can improve the quality and relevance of services while reducing unnecessary healthcare expenses. Additionally, the government, in collaboration with the finance sector, might consider MEDEF's proposal to introduce unpaid leave days for public order or specific social purposes, which could potentially reduce costs related to sick leave or health-related absenteeism.
