Is Private Healthcare Really Subsidized?

According to the Minister, private clinics benefit from a guaranteed financial flow since their services are partially covered by social protection schemes, particularly for citizens supported by the state. "This sector does not have a revenue problem, so there is no need to grant it additional aid," he explained in a statement to Hespress to clarify his remarks made in Parliament. However, this assertion raises questions in practice. Financial reports from three private sector players show no evidence of direct public subsidies, either for investment or operational costs. In fact, no official mechanism for direct investment aid has been implemented for private clinics or healthcare establishments. These entities rely solely on their own resources and, for the more transparent ones, access to the financial market. While the Investment Charter does provide investment incentives for eligible companies, this program applies to all economic sectors and is not specific to healthcare, nor is it solely under the Ministry of Health's jurisdiction. Therefore, the measure announced by the Minister appears to be more symbolic than substantive, as it suspends aids that do not actually exist. In contrast, the public healthcare sector relies on state subsidies for nearly 80% of its funding. It is perhaps at this level that the need for optimization and improvement in financial management is most urgent.