In conversation with RTL on Tuesday evening, the president of the Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD), Chris Roller, set out his position on the ongoing healthcare dispute.
The remarks come amid an ongoing dispute between the AMMD, the government, and the National Health Fund (CNS) after doctors terminated the long-standing agreement governing tariffs and reimbursements, raising concerns about the future organisation and funding of Luxembourg's healthcare system.
Negotiations on a new convention are still ongoing, with tensions high over working conditions, pricing, and the role of outpatient care.
Roller strongly criticised the tone of a recent press conference by trade unions, describing their remarks as irresponsible, particularly their claim that insured patients were being held hostage in the ongoing healthcare dispute.
He pointed out that the AMMD had made clear, when terminating the agreement, that it was calling for legal adjustments, something he said was known to all parties involved, including the CNS. He expressed surprise that trade unionist Christophe Knebeler appeared unaware of this.
Roller argued that the CNS cannot act without political backing, yet said no meaningful action had come from that side.
He stressed that the AMMD continues to push for stronger development of outpatient care, insisting that doctors should be able to carry out more procedures outside hospitals, a point he noted had also featured in the election promises of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV).
Roller also criticised the lack of progress from both PM Luc Frieden and Health Minister Martine Deprez regarding a new agreement. At the same time, he said doctors had faced accusations of abuse and fraud when discussions turned to tariff adjustments.
According to Roller, authorities expect top-quality medical care but are unwilling to pay for it, while political leaders must accept responsibility for ensuring that modern treatments, including cancer therapies, remain properly funded.
He stressed that without adequate conditions, Luxembourg will struggle to attract new and younger doctors. Procedures carried out in private practices are generally cheaper, he noted, and shifting certain treatments away from hospitals could help reduce waiting times.
The AMMD, he added, had never called for a full withdrawal from the system, but insists that tariffs must cover real costs. The association seems to support a solidarity-based system, provided it is adequately financed by the state.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Deprez has set a deadline of 1 November for the AMMD to sign a new agreement, warning that a Grand Ducal regulation will otherwise come into force.
Roller said that Deprez "has clearly not listened properly to our concerns over the past few months", adding that the AMMD would be ready to sign if the necessary legal changes were introduced.
Without an agreement with doctors, he warned, Luxembourg would effectively move towards a fully state-run healthcare system.
While reimbursement mechanisms are in place, Roller argued that the system is not attractive enough to draw young doctors to the country. He again rejected claims that doctors were holding patients hostage, instead suggesting that trade unions were attempting to do so in their dispute with the medical profession.
He further accused the government of relying primarily on pressure in its handling of healthcare policy, saying that little of what had been promised during the election campaign had been implemented over the past two and a half years.
On the case of Philippe Wilmes, Deprez maintains that her decision was justified and may be adjusted depending on findings by the public prosecutor or the medical council.
Roller challenged the Deprez's claim that she only knew Wilmes indirectly, saying that she keeps trying to "downplay her relationship with Wilmes in public and is not telling the truth when she says she only knows him indirectly".
He added that, in his view, proper medical assessment requires looking at the patient as a whole, rather than relying solely on imaging such as MRI scans.
The remarks come as differing medical assessments have raised questions about how the situation was evaluated. In that context, Roller suggested that the complexity of medical judgement may not have been fully taken into account.
He explained that medicine is not based solely on imaging, but on treating the patient as a whole. Based on what he understands of the case, the evaluation may have relied heavily on MRI images, with conclusions drawn from those alone.
Roller added that he is not directly involved in the case and does not claim expertise in the specific matter, but was outlining general medical principles.
