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French Feb health

spending

rose 0.4 pct

PARIS: French health care spending rose 0.4 percent in February after a rise of 0.1 percent in January, the Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie (CNAM) national health insurance fund.

The February figure represents a 5.5 percent increase from a year ago, the fund said in a statement.

The government has set a target of limiting health care spending growth to 2.1 percent for 1996.

Social Affairs Minister Jacques Barrot unveiled plans on Friday to try to control medical spending, as part of reforms to cut the gaping deficit of the state social security system.-Reuter