The new Minister of Health assured on Friday that there was "no question of touching state medical aid" (AME) which allows undocumented immigrants to access care.
Asked on franceinfo about this system, the scope of which Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau wants to reduce, Ms. Darrieussecq replied: "There is no question of touching state medical aid."
"State medical aid also provides insurance for the health of the French to prevent certain types of contagion," the medical minister emphasized.
"There should be no taboos on this subject, but we should not create fantasies," she added.
On Wednesday on France 2, Prime Minister Michel Barnier said that it was possible to "better manage" AME and that it was necessary to "look at things calmly so that those who are entitled to it can receive it."
In 2024, the State's planned AME budget will be €1.2 billion, or approximately 0.51% of the health expenditures planned in the Social Security budget (PLFSS). At the end of 2023, there were 466,000 AME beneficiaries.
It covers medical and dental care, reimbursed medications, analysis and hospitalization costs, as well as those relating to certain vaccinations and screenings, contraception and abortion.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau hinted last week that he was "not ruling out taking, particularly through regulatory channels, a number of measures" on the issue, which is often brandished as a red line by the presidential camp.
Furthermore, regarding the future of the end-of-life bill, the minister stated that it was necessary to "end these debates" and to seek "the right path with common sense, simply to support the few rare people who would need this system" of assisted dying.
Mr. Barnier said on Thursday that he was "in favor of resuming work at the point where it was interrupted" on this bill.
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