“Secu talks about numbers, we talk about patients”could we read on a sign held up by liberal doctors in Paris, Saturday January 10. These practitioners on strike since January 5 marched to denounce “an authoritarian drift” which according to them threatens their profession, opposing measures appearing in the 2026 Social Security budget and texts under debate in Parliament.
Debate on the prescription of sick leave
At the heart of the fears, stricter supervision of the prescription of sick leave with the reduction to one month of the maximum duration of a first work stoppage. They also fear future obstacles to their freedom of installation or the possibility for Health Insurance to unilaterally set medical prices in certain cases.
Tensions with the minister
The inter-union refused a meeting on Friday with the Minister of Health Stéphanie Rist at the end of the demonstration. Liberal doctors have already obtained the removal of several measures present in the initial version of the Social Security budget, such as the surcharge on excess fees.
According to the Minister of Health, activity had decreased on Tuesday by 19% among general practitioners and 12% among specialists. The movement should reach its climax at the beginning of next week when many private clinics will be affected by operating theater closures.