Rules allowing the reimbursement of cares of elderly cancer patients in France.
The concept of old age has changed recently: elderly, autonomous patients are now expected to participate in city social life. The objective of French public health authorities was to help elderly people stay at home as long as possible. To that aim, they have developed a variety of community support services. On one hand, the costs induced by the care of the elderly can be divided in three distinct categories: accommodation, dependency and care. Funding is based on these three cost groups. On the other hand, cancer belongs to the list of 30 diseases with 100% reimbursement. The financial aspects of health care, accommodation and dependency for elderly patients with cancer are crucial. The cost is huge, and the organisation of assistance is complex. Even if laws have settled the direction to follow and the schedule of improvements needed, the resolution of this problem will require long-term political willingness.
Droz
Jean-Pierre
JP
Department of Medical Oncology, Lyon-RTH Laënnec School of Medicine, Centre Léon-Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, Lyon 69008, France. droz@lyon.fnclcc.fr
D000368:Aged; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005602:France; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics*; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012946:Social Welfare