In 2023, French health insurance reimbursed €25.5 billion worth of drugs, or 12% of total expenditure. The increase was driven by innovative treatments and hospital prescriptions. Generics and biosimilars are key to controlling costs.
In 2023, the most-reimbursed drugs include innovative treatments, reflecting a trend towards prescribing newer, more expensive products. The 20 most-reimbursed drugs alone total €7.3 billion, with an average reimbursement rate of almost 96%. This dynamic trend is fuelled by an increase in prescriptions for serious or chronic pathologies (ALD), often covered at 100% by the French health insurance system.
Finally, the dossier highlights the importance of generic and biosimilar drugs in controlling health insurance expenditure. An awareness-raising campaign has also been launched to encourage the appropriate use of medicines. The continuing rise in reimbursement rates, reaching almost 91%, demonstrates, according to the Assurance Maladie, a strong commitment to access to care, while at the same time controlling the costs associated with therapeutic innovation.
Find out more
Le bon traitement, c’est pas forcément un médicament, Press Kit – Health Insurance, November 14, 2024
Budget : face à un dérapage surprise des dépenses de médicaments, le gouvernement forcé de revoir sa copie, Les Echos, November 17, 2024, Solenn Poullennec
