François Braun announced, Monday, November 21, before the National Assembly an additional envelope of 543 million euros for the hospital in 2022, due to the “Covid-related additional costs”. This extension, via a government amendment to the Social Security draft budget, “part of our unprecedented effort to support the hospital and all the staff who make it work”said the Minister of Health.
It is in addition to the approximately 570 million euros for the hospital presented to the Senate in order in particular to “coping with the early outbreak of bronchiolitis”, said Mr. Braun. The former president of the SAMU-Urgences de France union touted a draft budget “commitment and responsibility”which also provides for health prevention measures and a priority internship year in medical deserts for general practitioners in training.
He failed to convince the leftist opposition. The socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj defended in the hemicycle a motion for the prior rejection of the draft budget, examined in a new reading, stressing that these additions “a little DIY” in front of “the collapse of the public hospital”and that the executive remains according to him “in inflation denial”.
Risk of a new 49.3
Some eight hundred amendments have been tabled, but, according to parliamentary sources, the debates could be cut short: Elisabeth Borne, deprived of an absolute majority, is preparing to draw the constitutional weapon of 49.3 once again to have the text adopted without a vote. . “This budget is that of the government, but it is also that of national representation”insisted Mr. Braun, without convincing the deputies.
Mr. Guedj said his “frustration” in the face of a government that will only “peck here or there” to withhold amendments from the opposition. “The hasty abuse of 49.3 will harm the health of our parliamentary democracy”predicted Thibault Bazin (Les Républicains).
On October 23, the Minister had already announced the release of 150 million euros for “hospital services under strain”, especially in paediatrics. A decision taken, in particular, after 4,000 caregivers had sent an open letter to Emmanuel Macron, published by The Parisianto denounce the saturation of hospital pediatric services and its consequences on the health of children.