The government is aiming to accelerate the digitisation of health documents via a mobile app as early as this summer, while plans to replace the current system of reimbursement for healthcare payments are also moving forward.

On Wednesday, Minister of Social Security Romain Schneider signed an agreement with the National Health Fund (CNS), the Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD) and the Dentists' Association (CMD). This document will enable the digital exchange of information between doctors and dentists, insured persons, and the CNS.

According to the Ministry, the deployment of the necessary computer systems has been underway since May.

In concrete terms, doctors equipped with the system "will be able to print out invoices with a QR code". Once the CNS receives the document, it will be able to "digitally retrieve the same document from a server where it has been stored by the doctor's system". This procedure will put an end to the data entry work at the CNS, thus allowing reimbursements to be paid out more quickly.

The CNS hopes that at least one in three doctors will be equipped by July.

An app to speed up the reimbursement process

As of summer 2021, the government also plans to launch a CNS app for smartphones. With this app, doctors will be able to "send their bills digitally, similar to the tele-consultation currently in place".

As for patients, the app will allow them to download health care documents digitally and send them, for example, to the CNS for reimbursement. It will mark the beginning of the move away from paper.

The CNS stresses that this app will "further facilitate the exchange of documents between doctors and dentists, the insured, and the CNS". The app will also facilitate the administrative work of doctors, as it will no longer be necessary to print out the document on paper, and the insured will therefore receive their reimbursements faster.

The system will be launched focusing on digital invoices but will "very quickly" be extended to accept digital prescriptions for medicines and certificates of incapacity for work. These documents can then also be exchanged digitally between doctor and insured. Thus, it will be possible to access one's certificate online and send it to the CNS and to the employer.

A step towards "tiers-payant"/direct payment

The introduction of a "tiers-payant" or direct payment system, one of the current coalition's major promises, thus seems to be on the right track.

According to the Ministry of Social Security, this new system will serve as an "intermediary until the launch of Direct Payment". This new system will be ready by 2023. From that point forward, patients will only have to pay costs not covered by the CNS, which will instead pay doctors directly.

The CNS has also announced that a paper version will remain available to those who do not wish to use the new digital service.