Rise in drug spending widens France’s social security deficit

CCSS, the social security auditor, has found a 4.2% increase in the spending on drugs in partial, preliminary accounts for 2007. This substantial increase in spending has led to an additional burden of E2 billion to the social security budget.

Old-age pensions have also contributed their share to the social security deficit with E4.6 billion more spent than received in 2007, compared with only E1.9 billion spent in 2006.

However, the healthcare costs of the social security system have pared down from E5.9 billion in 2006 to E4.6 billion in 2007. The French government auditors have attributed this decrease to added revenues from taxes and social charges.