The French government has announced a significant policy shift regarding State Medical Aid (AME) for undocumented immigrants. Initially, the administration planned to increase the budget for AME by 8%, bringing it to 1.3 billion euros for 2025. However, Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin confirmed on October 15, 2024, that the government now supports freezing these credits instead. This decision follows protests from members of the National Rally who opposed the budget increase.
Saint-Martin emphasized the need for better control over government expenditures while maintaining that AME is a crucial public health and humanitarian issue. The AME program currently provides comprehensive medical coverage for undocumented immigrants who have lived in France for over three months and are financially disadvantaged. In 2024, AME is projected to account for approximately 0.5% of the total health expenditure outlined in the Social Security budget, with 466,000 beneficiaries recorded by the end of 2023.
The new Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, has expressed intentions to reform AME, proposing to replace it with a more limited emergency medical aid program. This aligns with the National Rally's campaign promises during the recent early legislative elections, where they advocated for a shift towards 'vital emergency aid.'
