France 2004. HiT summary

The French health care system was ranked number one by the World Health Organization in 2000 due in large part to its high level of population health, degree of freedom for physicians and patients, easy access to health care for most people, absence of waiting lists for treatment and universal coverage. It changed considerably with the Juppé reform of 1996, which shifted power from the health insurance funds to the state and decentralized at the regional level. Additional reforms in the 1990s dealt with containing costs, improving management and increasing equity of access to health care. While the system has been successful in maintaining a high level of population health, many challenges are emerging, including the ageing population, increasing health care expenditure, the need for rationing and a decreasing supply of doctors.