• According to the prices indicated by Health Insurance, it will cost 49 euros for a PCR test and 25 euros for an antigen test.

  • By charging for tests as is the case in many European countries, the government hopes to encourage vaccination.

  • With nearly 1.7 million tests performed per week lately, Health Insurance could well save some money by no longer reimbursing them.

Until now, the French have generally not been very enthusiastic about having a giant cotton swab sticking in the nose. Soon they will be even less, because they will have to pay (in addition) for it. In his speech to citizens on Monday, Emmanuel Macron indeed confirmed that “this fall, the famous PCR tests will be paid off”. The president specified that the tests for the Coronavirus will still be reimbursed when it comes to a "medical prescription".

If Emmanuel Macron did not mention antigenic tests, it is likely that the latter will also be invoiced since the government intends by this measure "to encourage vaccination rather than the multiplication of tests".

However, with the extension of the health pass to new places and activities, unvaccinated people are likely to resort to these tests even more.

Why do the tests become chargeable?

This decision is in line with the recommendation made on June 23 by the National Academy of Medicine. This underlined in a press release that "the repeated use of RT-PCR or antigen tests which are offered free of charge on French soil" were factors which could "divert individuals from vaccination". The Academy therefore recommended suspending the reimbursement of tests when they are carried out to obtain a health pass, travel or participate in collective events. In short, “comfort” tests as Gabriel Attal would call them a few days later, evoking the possibility of making them pay as soon as the school year begins.

It is difficult to say whether it is this announcement that convinced the French or rather that of the extension of the health pass instead of culture and leisure in mid-July, as well as to restaurants, bars, cafes and shopping centers in early August.

Still, since Emmanuel Macron spoke on Monday, 1.5 million French people have made an appointment on Doctolib to be vaccinated.

When do we pay and when do not pay?

As the President indicated, the tests will remain free for French citizens provided they have a prescription from their doctor.

Asked about the question, the Ministry of Health tells us that it will be possible for people with "suggestive symptoms" to confirm a suspected case of Covid-19, "or when you are a contact person" to conduct investigations of downstream and upstream tracing of confirmed cases.

In all other cases, i.e. traveling by train, bus or plane, going to a restaurant, café, bar or shopping center, going to a place of culture or leisure with more than 50 people, unvaccinated people will have to pay for their test to validate their health pass.

How much will it cost?

If the tests were previously free in France, the practice was rather an exception.

“It is unique in Europe, we are told at the Ministry of Health.

For an asymptomatic person wishing to be tested, it is necessary to pay nearly 120 euros in Germany or Spain, up to 350 euros in the United Kingdom.

"

Asked about this question, the National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam) tells us that "the price of an RT-PCR test is 49 euros and that of an antigen test in pharmacies is 25 euros".

For them to be applied, Emmanuel Macron indicated that he would "convene the parliament in extraordinary cession for the examination of a bill" on this measure. 

What savings for Social Security?

Already completely weighed down in 2020 by expenses linked to the pandemic, the Social Security deficit will amount to 38.4 billion euros in 2021. The Social Security Accounts Commission assessed in particular the expenditure to pay for tests, vaccines and other additional costs (hospitals, work stoppages) linked to the third wave of Coronavirus at the start of the year at 8.2 billion euros.

This figure is not really surprising since the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (DREES) estimates that between March 1, 2020 and July 4, 2021, "about 100.2 million antigenic tests and RT -PCRs have been validated by a healthcare professional ”, including 20.6 million antigenic tests.

Multiplied by the prices indicated by the Cnam, we arrive at nearly 4.4 billion euros.

If the Drees has recorded a decline in the number of tests since the beginning of April, their number still remains high.

For example, between June 21 and 27, 2021, 1,769,800 RT-PCR and antigen tests were validated, of which 25.4% were antigen tests.

This represents 75.9 million euros of expenditure.

Their invoicing could therefore partially alleviate Social Security expenses.

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  • Covid 19

  • Anti-covid vaccine

  • Coronavirus

  • Health

  • epidemic

  • Emmanuel Macron