The French Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, resigned on 20 December. The French National Assembly adopted a new Immigration Act on 19 December. Minister Rousseau showed his disagreement with the content of the law. He stopped the next day.

Rousseau opposed, above all, the abolition of state medical care (AME l’aide médicale d’Etat), which provides health care to illegally staying foreigners. Finally, the vote on 19 December decided not to suspend the aid. It was about eliminating state health care and implementing emergency aid. However, the executive has pointed out that the reform will take place in 2024 and the state's medical assistance will disappear so far.

State medical care came into force in 2000. Provides medical and hospital care to foreigners in irregular situations. They are entitled to 100% of care, excluding advance payment of expenses, within the limit of the Social Security rate.

The entry into force of emergency medical care would reduce health care. This care system would be based on the treatment of severe diseases and acute ailments, prophylaxis, pregnancy care, vaccines and preventive medicine studies. The French right has long wanted to make such a reform. The current health care system emphasises that the population travels from abroad to France to access health services.

3,500 doctors threatened

In November, 3,500 doctors signed a declaration. They intended to disobey if the State did not guarantee that patients without papers would continue to receive free care according to their needs. In other words, if the care system were removed and the emergency system was accepted, the patients would continue to receive care. The proposed measure is seen as an ethical, health and financial nonsense.

Minister Rousseau himself, who has just resigned, said that if people were denied first care in an irregular situation, hospitals would be filled with people. The doctors who signed the declaration have announced that their doors will “be open to both residents and outsiders.”