There are no exception to this unwritten law

Social security is part of our Republican identity. It is the equal access of all to the health and medical progress. The French are very attached and can now see the fruits of their efforts. Without the committed reform, Medicare deficit would be EUR 16 billion: it was $ 8 billion in 2005 and is expected to decline again, a little more than 6 billion this year. We continue in this way, the responsible commitment of all political, professional and patient to a high level of social protection.

I sometimes hear that the future would be a better sharing of the disease between social security and supplementary insurance cover. For my part, I am pleased that Medicare reimburses 77 of our health costs, little more than a decade ago. I do not think that its disengagement is the solution. This would be contrary to our Republican contract: the number of people without additional coverage is certainly to reduce, through actions that the President of the Republic asks us to amplify again. But what will become of the 4.5 million people who cannot rely on Medicare for the reimbursement of their care

It would also be very costly indeed for the French: decrease the rate of refunds of the 5 Medicare increase contributions for supplementary insurance of 35! It would then be a fools market. But, above all, it would be ineffective. Because it is the increase in spending that caused the deficit and the terms of their support. Would return without a change in behaviour, spending capitals immediately rising, overtaking their previous level and maintaining the vicious circle of deficits. He would then remain to operate new reimbursable... Funny financial virtue!

Keep in mind that, in countries that do not have social security, health-care costs grow faster. Thus, while 45 only of us health spending are covered by social protection, these expenditures now reach 15 of GDP, against 10 in France, without any benefit in terms of public health. Where social security is low, the expenditures are higher and the overall cost of health coverage more expensive for the individual. There are no exception to this unwritten law. The only effective strategy to ensure the sustainability of our model is therefore medicalized control of expenditure, by a change in behaviour. Ensure that every euro spent would be really useful to health. This is the meaning of the reform of health insurance that we implement under the leadership of Xavier Bertrand. She appealed to everyone's responsibility to preserve the heritage of all. Liability of the insured, medical liability, responsibility for funds, responsibility in the management of drug expenses. And political responsibility. Must be the wrong with force: this reform is bearing fruit. Medicare deficit will be less than 4 billion in 2007. It will be decreased five times faster than the deficit of the State.

To consolidate this remedy, it will have to go further, a global picture of the expenses of the France and the problems of financing. In the next few years, the major budgetary positions will see their spending to stabilize. Since 2002, we performed the necessary remedial in military matters. Education spending will be stabilized because of our demography, with less students. Finally, the very important improvement in the situation of employment for a year, which will continue, will allow a strong reduction of the expenses of the unemployment compensation.

It must take advantage of this favourable situation to say the two priorities of our public finances: continued reduction of the deficits to restore the dynamism of our economy, reorientation of our resources to the needs related to medical progress and the longevity of the population (health, pension and dependence). The French will need to validate a "five-year social protection pact" by which they accept to assign dynamic revenue of the nation needs that evolve as quickly as possible.

This implies to continue reform in three directions. The first is the adaptation of our provision of care to the ageing of the population, with the solidarity plan old age that I presented in June, at the request of the Prime Minister. The second, it is the fight against the excessive consumption of drugs. The France is currently the second highest of the OECD for the expenditure of drugs per person. Return gradually to the average of European countries emerging from the savings. Finally, the third priority is the development of prevention, which represents today only 2.7 of health expenditures. Bet on prevention, it is improving the quality and the lifetime of the insured, delaying the onset of diseases, detect earlier and improve the chances of healing. It is permanently reduce costs. Therefore, we can confront the challenges of aging, the exclusion and disability, while preserving a high level of social protection, in fidelity to our principles and our beliefs.