French radiologists stage one-day strike over fee cuts

Radiologists in France are on strike today (November 10) after France’s state healthcare imposed cuts on the sector. 

Between 70% and 85% of the nearly 5,000 private radiologists in France have walked out today, according to head of the Fédération nationale des médecins radiologues union Jean-Philippe Masson. 

It means many appointments scheduled for today have been postponed due to a lack of staff, doubly impactful as tomorrow (November 11) is a public holiday where clinics may also see reduced hours. 

In many cases only urgent appointments have been maintained today, with all others rescheduled.

Currently, no further strikes are planned but additional action is not out of the question. It is the first major strike in the sector for around 20 years, say radiologists.

Plans to save €300 million by 2027 

The row stems over plans from French state health insurer Assurance Maladie to cut funding for a sector it claims is highly profitable.

Cuts include, for example, a reduction from €29 to €26 in the fee for a doctor to interpret an MRI scan alongside reduced payments for many types of scan, limiting the number of services a patient can have in a single day, and changes to how patients are billed for services.

A list of tariff changes that have taken place can be found here.

In all cases, reduced costs will see the level of reimbursement paid by the state for these appointments decrease.

Payments to radiologists to compensate for having to install and maintain expensive equipment such as MRI and CAT scanners are also being reduced.

Certain tariff changes came into effect on November 5, with further changes set for 2026 and 2027. 

The measures will save up to €300 million across the three years, says Assurance Maladie, and are part of plans to cut costs across the board as France’s social security debt is set to reach up to €21 billion by the end of 2025.

Radiologists however argue that the measure was imposed without due dialogue (talks broke down and Assurance Maladie unilaterally announced the changes) and come despite prices for several radiologist fees being frozen across the last 20 years. 

In addition, they claim a reduction in the forfait paid out to radiologists for using the advanced equipment (a single MRI machine costs around €1.5 million, a scanner €600,000, and a mammogram machine €250,000) will restrict the quality of care available. 

Disagreements over how savings should be made

Assurance Maladie however argues that the sector is highly profitable, and is a prime area for savings to be made. 

The changes “will not jeopardise the viability of radiology in our country, nor the conditions of access to care, in a sector that is otherwise extremely dynamic,” said director of Assurance Maladie Thomas Fatôme. 

“The sector… boasts very high profitability, as demonstrated by our research… but also by two reports conducted by the General Inspectorate of Finance and the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs,” he added. 

At the same time as the €300 million cuts will impact the sector, around €1 billion of growth is projected, meaning the sector will continue to expand. In real terms the cuts are not expected to cause any losses for the sector. 

Radiologists however say that projected growth in the sector will slow, and knock-on effects to try and recoup costs will include reduced opening hours and the closure of rural stations.

Mr Fâtome says Assurance Maladie will stand firm “and not turn back” on tariff changes that have already taken place, but “is open to dialogue” about those scheduled for the next two years. 

Radiologists are not opposed to the level of savings targeted, but believe funds can be saved through alternate means that will not impact sector growth. 

The union believes most savings can come from reducing the number of unnecessary tests in the sector as opposed to direct price cuts, allowing radiologists to focus on care where it is needed most, while maintaining equipment better.