Medical consultations increased on December 22. From now on, the price of a consultation with a general practitioner increases from €26.50 to €30. That’s an increase of €3.50. For specialized consultations, the price with a gynecologist will increase from €33.50 to €37. Psychiatrists and pediatricians will also see their fees increase according to specific conditions.
A new revaluation is already planned for July 2025, although the precise amounts have not yet been made official.
An upwardly revised price list
Special pricing for children
The new medical convention brings changes for pediatric monitoring. Consultations with the pediatrician are charged €39 for children aged 0 to 2 years, €35 for 2-6 year olds, and €31.50 for those over 6 years old. Among general practitioners, monitoring of children under 6 years old now costs €35.
At the same time, compulsory pediatric consultations, which include medical certificates required at certain key ages, are now billed at €54, compared to €47.50 previously. These consultations, fully covered by Health Insurance, aim to ensure in-depth monitoring of the child’s development.
Better support for the mental health of young people
Faced with the deterioration in the mental health of young people since the health crisis, child psychiatry consultations have also been upgraded. These consultations increase from €54.70 to €67, a measure intended to better support young people in psychological difficulty.
Another major change: the extension of the age of support, which now concerns 12-25 years, compared to 16 years previously.
So-called “complex” consultations, requiring the presence of parents as part of the follow-up of a child suffering from a serious psychiatric pathology, have also been upgraded.
Why this increase?
Several reasons explain this increase in medical prices and mainly the crisis facing the healthcare sector in terms of recruitment. Thus, by increasing remuneration, the authorities hope to encourage young doctors to set up in private practice, particularly in medical deserts. Also, inflation directly impacts the operating costs of medical practices, particularly in terms of rent, equipment and staff.
This increase would also allow better monitoring of patients. Health Insurance wants to encourage doctors to devote more time to each patient by making the consultation more profitable.
-What does this mean for patients?
What impact for patients?
Health Insurance continues to reimburse 70% of the base price, but the increase in prices implies a greater out-of-pocket cost for patients. Thus, for a consultation at €30, the reimbursement will be €21, compared to €18.55 previously, leaving a balance of €9, which can be covered by mutual insurance.
In the absence of complementary health insurance, patients will therefore have to budget more for their medical consultations. However, people in precarious situations can still benefit from aid such as Complémentaire Santé Solidaire (CSS), which covers consultations without advance payment.
How to limit the impact of the increase?
To cope with this revaluation, it is recommended to:
- check your mutual insurance guarantees to ensure optimal coverage of the new rates.
- Favor sector 1 doctors, who charge agreed rates without excess fees.
- Follow the coordinated care pathway by first consulting your treating physician to avoid reimbursement penalties.
Although this increase is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system, it nevertheless involves adjustments for patients, who will have to be vigilant regarding their care.
For more information on the new prices and reimbursements, go to the Health Insurance website.
NAMELY
In 1995, consulting your general practitioner cost 17 euros. Ten years later, in 2005, the price increased to 20 euros, then to 23 euros in 2015.
