Everything you Need to Know About the French Healthcare System


 

Welcome to France! A lot of things aren’t going to make sense at first, but with some help and guidance from those who have gone before you, you’ll learn the ropes soon enough! 

The following is what I wish someone had told me when I was a newbie to the French healthcare system. Learn it, live it, love it!

by CDC – Unsplash

Overview

In France, healthcare is subsidized by the government for the most part. This means that while patients will need to contribute a small percentage to their healthcare costs, the state will cover between 70 to 100% of it. 

People in particularly low income situations, or individuals who need to be hospitalized for extended periods of time, will always be 100% covered. 

Registration

Being a form of public service, people are required to register for healthcare before the state will cover any costs — think of it like an insurance-based system. 

There are many different sectors for all different types of people, and it’s up to you to determine which one you need to be registered with. For example, foreigners who have been in France for a minimum of 3 months can register through the PUMA system, while low income individuals need to register with the CMU-C program instead.  

by JESHOOTS.COM – Unsplash

Once you’re in the system and making use of the services, you’ll likely eventually have to deal with an institution known as Sécurité Sociale. Founded in 1945, Sécurité Sociale is the group that is responsible for reimbursing you after you’ve forked out your hard earned cash for costly medical services. 

Private vs Public 

In France, private doctors and specialists benefit from the government’s healthcare insurance schemes, which enables them to perform their service under the public healthcare system, despite being privatized organizations. 

Similarly, even if your health insurance is public, citizens can still enjoy private run hospitals. The percentage that the patient needs to pay in will simply be a bit higher for this type of service. In these cases, there are a lot of residents (and even expats) who take out an additional private healthcare insurance policy (on top of their government issued one), to cover the remainder of the costs. 

By CDC – Unsplash

Mental Health in France

Seeking treatment for mental health is taken very seriously in France, almost as seriously as physical ailments are. This is because France has acknowledged that 1 in 5 French people suffer from some sort of mental anguish, which can make life very difficult and unproductive. 

The state encourages citizens to seek care for their mental health when needed, and almost all of it is totally covered. All that is required is that a doctor has referred you for mental health treatment, and you didn’t just show up on your own demanding care. A referral can involve recommending a nearby therapist, or even admission into a facility. It is up to the patient to discuss their feelings at length with their doctor, and come to an agreement on the best way forward. 

Women’s Health

In France, it doesn’t matter if you’re visiting a GP or a gynecologist; everything is covered and fully accessible, which makes it one of the best countries in the world when it comes to women’s health. 

What’s more, you are not required to go with a government approved institution, and may choose to see whom you feel most comfortable with for your feminine healthcare needs. 

by Jason Goodman – Unsplash

In France, contraception options are about 65% covered by the state health insurance policies, and women need to fork over the rest. Those who can’t afford the balance can get them for free from state family planning clinics and sexual health centers.  

Healthcare for Children

In France, so long as the parent is covered, the child is covered. Children under the age of 18 fall into their parent’s insurance coverage, and in addition to this, get 20 free (compulsory) health screenings from birth through to the age of 6. This is done to try create early detection of conditions such as diabetes and visual disorders. 

In France, children also get free dental care until the age of 18. 

by Sander Sammy – Unsplash

Always Choose a ‘médecin traitant’

After working with a doctor that you quite like, it is recommended that you publicly declare them as your médecin traitant, or ‘reference doctor’. This is recommended, because when it comes time to calm from the Sécurité Sociale, you’ll get a lot more back if it was your reference doctor who either treated you or referred you to a specialist. Going directly to a specialist, without consulting your reference doctor first, usually results in less of a reimbursement after treatment. 

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


These are Amazon’s best-selling travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

Bookstore

  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 – Learn more here
  2. Fodor’s Paris 2024 – Learn more here

Travel Gear

  1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack – Learn more here
  2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage – Learn more here
  3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle – Learn more here

Check Amazon’s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.