Couverture maladie universelle

The Couverture maladie universelle (CMU; English: Universal health care coverage) is a French social welfare programme concerning public health. It was voted through by Lionel Jospin's gauche plurielle government (Law of 27 July 1999), at the initiative of the minister Martine Aubry. The CMU came into force in January 2000.

It reimburses medical expenses through Social security to all those legally resident in France for more than three months. Furthermore, for people on low incomes, the CMU also offers complementary health cover of 100%, which is added to standard Social Security payments; this avoids the necessity for additional private (top-up) insurance. Illegal aliens are entitled to heath care via the Aide médicale d'Etat (AME, State medical aid).

A 2006 investigation by the NGO Médecins du monde (Doctors of the World) showed that 10% of French physicians illegally refused to treat patients covered by the CMU, while 40% refused to treat AME patients.^[1]

One of the main arguments made by proponents of CMU and of the State medical aid programs is that, apart from humanitarian concerns, it is in the interest of public health to avoid a situation whereby certain sections of the population are not treated. Epidemics are accordingly prevented. Furthermore, proponents point out that it is cheaper to treat patients in the early stages of an illness rather than waiting until the condition worsens.

See also

• Universal health care
• Welfare state
• Politics of France
• Lionel Jospin's Gauche plurielle (Plural left) government

References

1. ^ « 34 % des généralistes refusent des patients relevant de l'aide médicale d'Etat, selon Médecins du monde », in Le Monde, 16 October 2006 (French)