Medical consultations will cost more for some patients …
Each year since 1996, a new project of the Social Security financing law (PLFSS) has been voted. Monday, February 17, 2025, the government once again established a series of measures aimed at controlling social security spending, depending on state revenues. “Social security spending for 2025 are set at more than 666 billion euros, all branches combined” informs the government site vie-publique.fr. Among the measures adopted, the implementation of a “rabbit” tax, verbalizing certain patient behavior with health professionals.
What is the rabbit tax?
The “rabbit” tax aims to “Responsibility patients” explains the government. His name comes from the expression “to put a rabbit” defined by the fact of not going to an appointment, without warning the person who awaits us. “This is a penalty which will be requested by establishments or health centers or doctors to patients, who, without legitimate reason, do not present themselves to a medical appointment or who cancel it late.” The goal is to give up lost time for caregivers and allow certain patients “who sometimes have to wait for months” to obtain an appointment, defended Gabriel Attal In April 2024, then Prime Minister and at the origin of this measure. “Each year, nearly 27 million medical consultations are not honored by the patient without warning” he said. The National Health Insurance Fund has evaluated the cancellation rate of medical meetings between 3 and 4% per year.
Who would be concerned?
The concrete modalities of this new tax are still vague. The Senate indicates that the sumIt is “imprisonment of patients not honoring an appointment with a health professional” Without additional details. When the measurement was announced, ex-Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had indicated that the tax would apply for appointments not canceled at least 24 hours in advance, without legitimate reason.
What will be the amount of the rabbit tax?
Contacted by the Journal des Femmes Santé, the Senate communication service indicated that “The amount has not been set in law” and that “The methods of this rabbit tax will be defined by an upcoming decree”. Some government representatives such as Gabriel Attal had spoken of “5 euros” Who “may be retained on the patient who puts a rabbit”. Regarding the means of taxation, Senator Hervé Maurey had addressed, in a question in the Senate, the possibility of an automatic deduction “Reimbursement of medical expenses. One solution would however remain to be found for patients who have not advanced medical costs”. The sum could also be retained “Via a bank imprint on appointment platforms or by the caregivers themselves”according to Public Senate.
On what date will it be set up?
The law aimed at the establishment of the rabbit tax was adopted definitively on February 17, 2025. The law must now be promulgated and published in the Official Journal.
