A proposed law to ensure equal healthcare access for overseas French citizens faces challenges as Senate amendments risk undermining its core objectives.
Law faces Senate amendments
A proposed law aimed at ensuring equal access to healthcare for overseas French citizens across the entire national territory is at risk of losing its core provisions due to seven amendments approved by the Senate’s social affairs committee, according to Polynesian deputy Mereana Reid Arbelot.Deputy expresses concerns
In a press release, Reid Arbelot expressed "deep concern" over the amendments, stating they undermine the law’s fundamental goals. She highlighted that current policies leave students, mobile workers, and patients evacuated for medical reasons without adequate social coverage or facing high medical costs.Proposed electronic ID system
To address these issues, an electronic identification system similar to the Vitale card is being considered to facilitate access to healthcare in Metropolitan France. However, the amendments could block this progress by excluding medical emergencies, preventing the system’s implementation by local funds, and removing guarantees for continuous social protection.Amendments linked to mainland influence
Reid Arbelot accused mainland French senators of pushing amendments aligned with positions from Parisian central administrations. She criticized the repeated parliamentary changes, which could prevent the law’s final adoption and weaken its impact on healthcare access for overseas territories.Long-standing struggle for healthcare equality
The deputy emphasized that people from Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis, and Futuna have waited over 20 years for a solution to their healthcare challenges. Despite efforts by Pacific parliamentarians, she warned that this historic opportunity is now under threat as the Senate prepares to examine the law.
