France

66
Health systems in transition
France
Personal health care consumption (i.e. consumption of medical goods and
services) accounted for the largest share of public health expenditure (73.2%),
followed by home and community health services (16.1%) (Table 3.2). Public
expenditure on drugs has decreased by 1 percentage point since 2007, while
spending on medical devices and facilities has remained stable (Table 3.3).
Table 3.2
Public expenditure and current health expenditure on health by service programme,
2012
Percentage of public
expenditure on health
Percentage of current
health expenditure a
Health administration and insurance 4.2 5.9
Education and training 0.9 0.8
Health research and development 1.9 1.5
Public health and prevention 2.3 2.4
Medical services 73.2 75.6
Inpatient care 40.6 35.0
Outpatient care 15.8 19.5
Transport 2.0 1.7
Drugs and medical devices 14.8 19.4
Home or community health services and disability/
dependency allowances
16.1 12.8
Health system subsidies 1.4 1.0
Source: DREES, 2013a.
Note: a Current health expenditure accounts for both public and private expenditure; it differs from total health expenditure as it includes
per diem allowances, certain public prevention activities, research and training and excludes gross fixed capital formation.
Table 3.3
Public health expenditure on health by service input, 2007–2011
Service input Public health expenditure a (%)
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Medicines 14.2 13.6 13.4 13.3 13.1
Medical devices 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.2
Investment in medical facilities at primary, secondary,
3.1 3.1 2.9 2.9 3.0
tertiary, intermediate, social care levels
Sources: Eco-Santé, 2014; OECD, 2014.
Note: a Public health expenditure on health in million euros, at 2005 GDP price level.
The evolution of personal health care expenditure (i.e. expenditure dedicated
to medical goods and services) is a result of growth in the volume of care
provided and growth in the price of that care, which in turn is linked to general
inflation and specific conditions governing the means of production. Overall,
health care prices for medical goods and services have been relatively stable