France's Conseil National Professionnel (CNP) de radiologie et imagerie médicale, known as G4, has vehemently denounced fee cuts imposed unilaterally by the National Union of Health Insurance Funds (UNCAM).
The cuts affect CT, MRI, and interventional radiology procedures and could jeopardize the viability of many radiology facilities, particularly small local ones, the CNP said in an open letter highlighted by the French Society of Radiology (SFR) on 27 October.
“We deplore the lack of a balanced agreement and are astonished to see such weighty measures, with far-reaching consequences for both private practice and hospital radiology, decided upon and implemented without consultation with the profession,” the council noted.
The cuts jeopardize patient access to timely imaging and the training of young radiologists, and they weaken the investment capacity of both public and private radiology facilities. They are a major obstacle to innovation in service of patients, the CNP added.
The CNP has called on the public authorities to immediately reopen a genuine dialogue with all representatives of the profession to guarantee patients' access to high-quality, safe radiological care.
The full letter can be found here.
