The Luxembourg Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD) has announced it will not sign a new agreement with the National Health Fund (CNS), ending months of negotiations between the two sides.
In a newsletter to its members, the AMMD explained that it believes the current system for liberal healthcare is fundamentally broken and no longer serves the interests of doctors or patients.
The existing agreements, which were terminated in October last year, are set to expire at the end of October 2026.
The main points of contention include the need for more opportunities to provide medical services outside of hospitals, fair negotiations over tariffs, and tariff adjustments to reflect actual operating costs, according to the AMMD.
The association claims that, during talks, the CNS consistently referred to current legislation and ultimately presented a convention text the AMMD was unwilling to sign.
The AMMD particularly criticised the CNS for what it described as an "inflexible stance" and a refusal to adapt the healthcare system to new medical challenges and developments. The association accused the CNS of using statements it considers as pressure tactics against doctors.
The association also stated that it does not expect major reforms from the government either, noting that the legislative proposals put forward so far are either insufficient or risk creating new problems.
Although the AMMD requested a meeting with the Prime Minister, it concluded after discussions with the government that the political will for the necessary reforms is lacking.
With mediation having failed, the current deal between the AMMD and CNS will expire in October 2026. In place of the existing agreement, a government regulation is expected to set rules in most areas.
According to the AMMD, this marks a shift from a system in which doctors are supposed to be partners of the CNS to one where the state more directly defines conditions and regulations.
Looking further ahead, the association does not consider this regulatory approach a viable long-term solution. It argues that the government will eventually have to undertake a fundamental reform of the healthcare system and develop a model that better fits the 21st century.
The AMMD insists that the answer should be neither a complete liberalisation nor a continuation of the current system in which the CNS makes unilateral decisions.
