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You are here: > National Level Policies > France > Documents and Publications

Documents and Publications

Key Policy Documents

[This section provides the key documents on health inequalities published on a national level in France in the  past decade]

Orientation law on the fight against exclusion (Law No. 98-657 dated July 29, 1998 published in Official Journal No. 175 dated July 31, 1998)

Article 71 of this law outlines measures aiming to guarantee access to healthcare for all, among them:

  1. Development at a regional level of programmes for access to prevention and care for underprivileged populations (PRAPS - please see below for more details) which facilitates the mobilisation and coordination of different actors from the healthcare field. In order to take into account for the diversity of local situations, each region develops its programme defining both targeted vulnerable populations and health objectives. The process of defining PRAPS allows for participation of the community and local organisations. PRAPS targets mostly primary and secondary prevention (not only information)
  2. In the context of regional programmes for access to prevention and care, Healthcare Access Centres (PASS) are planned to facilitate the access of the underprivileged individuals to enjoy the same healthcare conditions as the rest of the population (and no longer just to emergency departments). PASS are hospital based and free, without appointments, allowing access to a range of medical specialisation and social services.
  3. It initiated the consultation process with the major stakeholders in the social protection field with the view of drafting a bill on the introduction of the Universal Health Coverage (CMU, see below for more detail)

Law setting up Universal Health Coverage (CMU) - Law No. 99-641 dated July 27, 1999

This law allows any individual residing in France in a stable and regular fashion, and who is not already covered by any other benefit, to receive social security coverage for all healthcare expenditure: the basic CMU.  The supplementary CMU (CMUC) is granted as a function of income.  It enables 100% coverage of all healthcare costs, without having to pay any sums in advance.

Law on Orientation and Programming for Cities and UrbanAreas
Law No. 2003-710 dated August 1st, 2003: Renewal, published in the Official Journal on August 2, 2003, page 13 281

This law highlights the importance of PRAPS and their local level peer programme: Local Health Workshops (ASV) for reduction of social inequalities and differences in development between regions, and especially in so called Sensitive Urban Areas.

Law relative to public health policies.  Law No 2004-806 dated August 9, 2004 published in Official Journal No. 185 dated August 11, 2004

This law mainstreams health inequalities concerns into all public health policies. In case of development of new strategic plans it should be scrutinised how it affects the most vulnerable populations.
The law also includes two specific objectives concerning health inequalities:
Objective 33: To reduce financial barriers affecting access to care for individuals whose income is slightly higher than the threshold which ensures a right to the CMU;
Objective 34: To reduce inequalities with respect to illness and death by increasing the life expectancy of groups confronted by situations of poverty: the difference in life expectancy at the age of 35 years is currently 9 years.

Other Publications  

[Here you can find reference(s) to book(s) and other major research publications on Health Inequalities in France]

  • Collective publication. La progression de la précarité en France et ses effets sur la santé. Rennes: Editions ENSP. Collection Avis et Rapports; 1998.
  • Lebas J, Chauvin P, eds. Précarité et santé. Paris : Flammarion Médecine Sciences, 1998, 300p.
  • Leclerc A., Fassin D., Grandjean H., Kaminski M., Lang T, eds. Les inégalités sociales de santé. Paris: La Découverte/Inserm Recherches, 2000, 448 p.
  • Joubert M, Chauvin P, Facy F, Ringa V, eds. Précarisation, risques et santé. Paris: Editions Inserm, 2001, 474 p.
  • Haut Comité de la Santé Publique. La santé en France 2002. Paris: La Documentation Française, 2002. (Translated into English: High Committee on Public Health. Health in France, 2002. Paris: John Libbey Eurotext, 2003)

Useful Internet Ressources

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