‘We have to change healthcare spending to make our system sustainable,’ says mutuelle top-up boss
France’s healthcare spending hit 11.5% of GDP in 2024
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The level at which glasses and hearing aids are reimbursed by top-up mutuelles in France appears set for major cuts after the president of the system’s national federation stressed the need to make the system sustainable.
France’s healthcare spending was 11.5% of GDP in 2024, having risen by 20% between 2019 – 2023.
The spiralling costs are exacerbated by top-up mutuelles encouraging overconsumption on certain items, says the president of La Mutualité Française Eric Chenut.
“We have to change healthcare spending to make our system sustainable,” Mr Chenut told newspaper Les Echos on April 11.
In particular, Mr Chenut proposed that mutuelles should offer a new pair of glasses every three years – down from once every two – and a new hearing aid every five years – down from once every four.
Alternatively he suggested cutting the reimbursement for glasses from €100 to €30 for top-up mutuelles with the contrat responsable et solidaire label, and likewise for hearing aids and dental prostheses.
The contrat responsable et solidaire label is reserved for mutuelles that do not set their reimbursement rates according to the individual’s personal situation and observe strict rules concerning the collection of personal data.
The savings for mutuelles would result in a price drop of between 25% – 30% for adherents.
Mr Chenut previously spoke of the need to rein in healthcare spending in January 2025, which he observed was “growing faster than national wealth”.
“With our aging population and scientific advances, and without a structural overhaul, these costs will continue to rise until we can no longer cope.”
The proposals of La Mutualité Française will be presented to the government this week.
Mutuelles costs rise
Top-up health insurance is not obligatory in France, but more than 90% of people have some form of it to cover the healthcare costs that remain after reimbursement by the social security system.
The price of this cover increased on average by 4.7% in 2023, 8.1% in 2024 and a further 6% in 2025, according to data from, consumer magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs.
However, for retired people both the costs – and the increases – are higher.
The average price of cover for over-75s in 2025 is €173 a month (€2,076 a year), and €136 a month on average for retirees, after an increase of 9.1% between 2023 and 2024 alone.
This compares to a cost of €35 for those aged 16-25, according to data from mutuelle price comparison website Mutuelle.fr.