Since October 15, screening tests are no longer reimbursed for those who are not vaccinated, except for exception (prescription, contact case, contraindication to the vaccine).
Le Monde with AFP
The Council of State validated, Friday, October 29, the end of the free tests called “comfort” to detect the SARS-COV-2 (the pathogen responsible for CVIV-19), lowering several requests , including a remedy on the union of union solidarity against the decree ending this free.
The highest French administrative court considers that the end of the free of these tests “does not have the effect of making the presentation requirement for the health care in certain circumstances disproportionate with regard to the public health objectives. continues “.
Since October 15, CVIV-19 screening tests are no longer reimbursed for people who are not completely vaccinated, with the exception (medical prescription, contact case, recent positive test result, vaccine contraindication ) PCR tests cost 43.89 euros, and laboratory antigenic tests 22 euros and 25 euros in pharmacy (30 euros on Sunday), fully the responsibility of the person if it does not fall under the exceptional regime.
6.2 billion spent in 2020
“No international standard (…), no legislative provision or general principle imposes on the health insurance of a biology review”, notes the Council of State in its decision, consulted by the France-Presse agency.
In addition, “the development of free access” to vaccination against CVIV-19 “for all persons who do not suffer from medical contraindications to a vaccine”, as well as “the evolution of the health context “And” the financial burden “of free testing for the state” are likely to justify that it is put an end to this care “tests, estimates the public institution. So far, France was one of the few countries systematically repay the PCR tests (even in the absence of symptoms for example). A policy that has had a cost: 6.2 billion euros this year.
“In addition,” continues the Council of State, the price of tests “is not of such importance” that it can “prevent the persons concerned from using it”. And “there is no longer any difficulties for people who can and wish it to be vaccinated for free”, he notes, judging that the end of the full free test “can not be watched as having the purpose or effect of constraining to vaccination “.
Decree on suspended autototes
On the other hand, the Council of State has retained other requests, including that of the association via the way of the people. He suggested a decree of October 14 that the autototes carried out under the supervision of a health professional are no longer recognized “as proof for the health care”.
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, “does not affect any motive holding the effectiveness” of the self-test and “confines themselves to indicate that this test had been planned only to prevent difficulties access to RT-PCR or antigenic tests when setting up the health care, difficulties that have not occurred and no longer occur anyway, “says the Council of State.