The rich will pay more

EHPAD faces financial difficulties

Public and collaborative EHPADs, which represent about 70% of places for dependent elderly people in France, are in a precarious financial situation. Amid rising inflation, the fallout from the Kovid-19 crisis and the aftermath of the Orpia scam, many institutions are finding their accounts in the red. Currently, with prices being strictly controlled by departments, the scope for financial readjustment is limited.

The proposed law on aging plans to give EHPADs more flexibility by allowing them to apply higher rates to the most disadvantaged residents, while maintaining accessibility for the most disadvantaged, in other words welfare recipients of social housing assistance (ASH).

Modulated prices for reinforced unity

This legislative initiative introduces a principle of reinforced unity within EHPAD, adopting a more equitable approach. Organizations will now be able to diversify their sources of revenue without having to systematically seek approval from departments to adjust prices. The measure aims to make EHPAD operations more responsive to inflation and rising costs, potentially aligning their practices with those of the private sector.

Precautions are planned to avoid excesses, with the establishment of a ceiling on price variation and an obligation to maintain a quota of residents benefiting from ASH.

The price reform sparks debate on the balance between financial autonomy of EHPADs and accessibility of care for all. If it represents a breath of fresh air for troubled institutions, it also raises questions about the risk of excluding the least solvent. The implementation of this law, welcomed with caution by officials and players in the field, promises to be a step towards the modernization of the elderly care system in France, while constant vigilance is needed to guarantee equality of access to care.