I hope that if you read this article, you do not find yourself in immediate need of assistance, but if you do, I sincerely hope that the following will answer your questions.
Who should you call in an emergency in France?
In France, there is no unified emergency number like in the US or the UK. But here are the main ones you need to know:
15 – calls the SAMU who are the first responders for medical emergencies
17 – calls the police
18 – calls the firemen
112 – European emergency number, if you’re a victim or a witness of an accident in any EU country.
We strongly recommend making a note of these numbers and adding them to your contacts.
Where should you go in case of an emergency in France?
Here is the reference website if you find yourself in an unknown city and you’re looking for a hospital. It’s in French but quite easy to navigate.
When you’re in the hospital, look for the “Urgences” section. That’s the French equivalent of A&E or the ER, and where you’ll be taken care of.
Little tip: the wait can be quite long, based on the condition you have, the number of staff etc, so bring a book !
As of 2021, France is home to over 4 million foreign residents from all over the world. If you are one of them and planning to work or study in the country, having one is crucial.
The social secutiry number is a 13-digit number unique to each person that serves as an identifier for various social security benefits, such as health insurance, pension plans, and unemployment benefits.
What does it do ?
The social security number is used for various purposes :
For every process to get government assistance, welfare etc
Most of the time for medical purposes (but you’ll be asked your Carte Vitale, that has the number written on it)
By your employer
To create your account on ameli.fr (the online personal space that gathers all the info and tips you need related to healthcare)
What happens if I don’t have one ?
Not having one can cause several problems. For example, you may not be able to receive benefits if you fall ill, become unemployed, or retire. You may also face difficulties when applying for a loan, opening a bank account, or registering for healthcare coverage.
Where can I find my French Social Security Number, if I already have one?
Social Security Statement: You can request a statement of your earnings and benefits from the French social security system. This statement will show your social security number.
Tax Documents: Your social security number is often included on your tax forms, such as your tax return.
Employer Records: Your employer should have a record of your social security number, as they are required to report your earnings to the French social security system.
Who is eligible ?
Employees and their families are fully eligible for France’s social security system, which includes:
Health, maternity, paternity, disability and death insurance
Occupational accident and illness insurance
Government pension contributions
Family allowances
Unemployment benefits
How can I get a French Social Security Number?
The conditions to apply
You need to register if :
You have never registered for Social Security (for example: in case of birth abroad)
You do not have any documents proving your registration (Carte vitale, certificate of rights, paper social security card)
Any document issued by a consulate, including those based on identity documents (birth certificate, individual civil status record)
Other documents :
A copy of your work contract or your first pay slip (if you work),
To prove that you are living in France:
one utility bill, if you work
or three utility bills for the past three months, if you don’t work
If you were covered in Europe before coming to France: an S1 form from your previous European health system. If you cannot get an S1, you will have to provide a refusal letter
A RIB (relevé d’identité bancaire aka the bank details)
How to apply?
This is the form you have to send to obtain your social security number. I highly recommend doing this request through your employer (ask your HR department), you will still need all the information above but it will be much faster.
It took me only about a month to get my number, whereas some of my colleagues who did it directly, waited for more than 8 months. In any case, plan to wait for a few months, that is unfortunately normal…
Depending on the country you are coming from, you might need to exit your old health insurance by making them fill out the form E104which you then have to transfer to your old insurance. You can make this request through your ameli.fr account as soon as you have it.
How can I get a social security number if I don’t have a job yet?
If you’re unemployed and not a student, getting a social security number and then a carte vitale, will not be the easiest process.
You need to go in person to the closest caisse d’assurance maladie. Here you’ll find the closest to your home, and you can change the location on the top right hand corner.
In this case the required documents are the same.
Tips:
Get a social security number before you ask for your Carte vitale as the SSN is required.
This is a sign that you’ll find often in France: the green flickering cross of the pharmacy.
Here are a couple of things you should know about pharmacies in France.
What is a French pharmacy ?
Don’t worry, there aren’t any big reveals, pharmacies are places to buy medicine, but a couple elements differ from what you may be familiar with in your country.
What is sold in a pharmacy ?
In France, a pharmacy sells ONLY medicine and health products – compared to some countries, where pharmacies also sell everyday products, you won’t find any TP or last minute groceries in a French pharmacy.
What is a parapharmacie ?
Parapharmacie is a category of items found in pharmacies and supermarkets that are linked to health and beauty. It’s not medicine, but rather skincare products, hair products, dental products, hygiene products, dietary supplements and much, much more.
Can I find medicinal products outside of a pharmacy ?
The answer is no. From ibuprofen to very specific medicines you might need for a condition like asthma, you can only find them in a pharmacy, never in a supermarket or other store.
What about emergency situations ?
Generally pharmacies in France, like any other shops, have classic opening hours from like 10 am to 7 or 8 pm.
However, for emergency situations, the pharmacies in a city or a certain neighborhood organise opening shifts. These are the “pharmacie de garde” and you can find the closest pharmacie de garde here.
How do I get my medicine ?
Do I always need a prescription to get medicine ?
No, some medications are available without any prescription. For instance, for minor conditions like a cold, a little fever etc, you don’t have to go to the doctor to get a prescription. Just go to the pharmacy and explain your situation, they’ll give you the products you need.
However, some meds do require a prescription. Giving you an exact list of the meds available with or without a prescription would be too long and boring. Just go to the nearest pharmacy and ask if you can get the product.
How do I get a prescription ?
Pharmacists are not allowed to prescribe medicine. Only doctors can.
If you need specific medicine, go to see your GP first. Here is the article about going to the doctor.
Tips :
Pharmacists only sell, but never prescribe medicine – only doctors can.
Don’t forget your Carte Vitale, it’ll help you get reimbursed by your health insurance for your medicine.
For minor conditions, pharmacists can sell you some products if they are available without a prescription.
You’ve probably caught on, that like everything else in France, the reimbursement process after visiting a doctor can be quite complex. This article will not be an exact guide explaining the way it works in great detail, we thought it would be too long and boring to read.
We’ll give you an overview of the main aspects and provide you with some tips that should make you able to navigate and understand most of the situations you’ll find yourself in!
Save money when you visit the doctor in France
Parcours de soin and médecin traitant
Before going to the doctor in France, you need to know these two concepts:
Parcours de soin (pathway of health): follow these steps in order to not have a huge medical bill
Médecin traitant (your assigned GP): a practitioner that you chose and you’ll always see as your GP.
What is the Parcours de Soin?
You may already know that France has a generous health care system, and it’s true. Most French people don’t understand how good they have it and won’t stop complaining about “La Sécu”, the social security. This generosity implies that France spends a lot of money in its social system (around €700.000.000 each year).
In order to regulate the spendings, France implemented a system called “Parcours de Soin” (health pathway).
What does the Parcours de Soin entail?
Simply, you have to see a GP before going to a specialist. If you’re don’t get a referral to a specialist by a GP, your fees may increase.
When I say specialist, I include all the doctors that you hope to never see in your life (gastroenterologists, etc…).
Dentists and ophthalmologists are not specialists, you can go and see them as you please.
Does any GP work as a reference?
Theoretically no. In order to go and see a specialist, you should first make a stop at your main “médecin traitant”. It is, however, you technically can see any GP to get a reference, even if he is not your own.
What is a médecin traitant?
The médecine traitant can be a GP, but isn’t always. It could be your homeopath, your gynecologist etc. Basically, it’s a health professional who knows you a bit better than the others.
The French government set up a system that helps you connect to different bodies of the administration like the taxes (Impôts), the health system (Améli) etc. It’s called France Connect and it’s awesome.
After logging in, click on the “Mes informations” category in the top-right-hand corner and fill in the info.
Or you just ask the doctor to be your “médecin traitant” during your consultation and they’ll do the thing for you on their computer.
Timeline
Let’s take a look at what it will look like with my friend Napoleon. He’s been having a stomach ache for some time now and he is a busy guy, a lot of countries to conquer etc. He hasn’t had time to look at what to do yet.
What? There are different types of reimbursement?
Yes, there are! The amount you will get reimbursed for your medical expenses will depend on :
The types of doctor you go and see and if he is Secteur 1 or Secteur 2
The nature of the procedure
The coverage you have from a possible private insurance (a mutuelle / assurance complémentaire)
What are the different types of doctors ?
There are two types of doctors in France:
Conventionné or Secteur 1: it means that you’ll be reimbursed with the Social security barema. That‘s the case for most GPs and it’s mentioned on their Doctolib profile. In short, it means you won’t have to pay too much because most of it is covered by Social security.
Non-conventionné or Secteur 2: it means the reimbursement barema from Social security won’t apply to the whole cost and you may pay more (dépassement d’honoraire).
Be advised that the payment to a doctor is called an “honoraire” and the Secteur 2 doctors go above the normal honoraire, hence the “dépassement d’honoraire” (extra fees). For some treatments and actions, Secteur 1 can also add some extra fees.
How does the reimbursement for medical expenses work in France?
We’ll not go into much details, but there are two concepts to remember :
La base de remboursement: what is the amount covered by the Social security
Le taux de remboursement (rate) : the fraction of the covered amount that you will get back
Also, as the Social security does not cover all of the medical costs, you can take, personally or through your work a mutuelle or complémentaire santé, which are private health insurances.
Let’s take a couple of examples with the help of our friend Napoleon. He doesn’t feel very good and needs to go and see a specialist. But first, he checks with his “médecin traitant”, in order to get a referral..
Going to the GP without additional fees
He goes to the GP and pays 25€. Social security covers up to 25€, meaning he is fully covered.
However, the rate is only 70%. So, he’ll get back 70% of the amount he paid (minus a deductible of 1€).
The remaining 30% is called “ticket modérateur” in France and is what you have to pay to reach 25€. Some of it can be paid by your private insurance, depending on the contract you have.
In this example, the doctor belongs to Secteur 1 (no extra fee, no dépassement d’honoraires).
Going to a Specialist
Let’s say now, that my friend Napoleon needs to go and see a specialist, to whom he’s been referred by his “médecin traitant”. The specialist is Secteur 1 but requires medical work that will trigger an extra fee (dépassement d’honoraires).
Napoleon pays €500 for the procedure. Social security covers up to €400 and the rate is 50%. So, he’ll get back €200 (minus the €50 of deductible).
Now €300 remain: €200 of co-payment and €100 of extra fees that can be covered by the private insurance, depending on the contract.
This is a fictional example, these figures used do not reflect in any way the costs you may have for a procedure.
How do I get my money back ?
There are two ways to get your money back after a visit to the doctor.
If I have a Carte Vitale
This is the easiest process. You have nothing to do. You’ll just hand in your Carte Vitale to the doctor and you’ll just wait and relax to get your funds back. The money you’ll get covers the Social security + mutuelle reimbursement, if you have a mutuelle.
The process can take up to 3 weeks.
Here is an article about the Carte Vitale that explains how to get one.
If I don’t have a Carte Vitale
The process gets a bit tricky. The doctor (and the pharmacist if you need medicine) will give you a form (feuille de soin) that you’ll need to fill out with :
Your name
Your social security number
You’ll need to send it then to the CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie), the body of government that handles certain healthcare actions. To know the address where to send, it’s very simple, just click there.
If you’re in Paris, kudos, that’s the address displayed underneath. Otherwise, just click on “Changer” and type in your zip code.
This article will explain a bit more about going to the doctor – a General Practitioner – in France.
We’ll cover how to:
To book an appointment
To get reimbursed
We won’t cover :
How to handle emergencies (there are specific services and a specific department in French hospitals – Les Urgences) ans it’s covered in this article.
Which doctor do I choose ?
Parcours de soin and médecin traitant ?
Before going to the doctor in France, there are two concepts that you need to know :
Parcours de soin (the pathway of health) : a couple of steps to follow in order to not have a huge medical bill
Médecin traitant (your assigned GP) : a practitioner who you chose and you’ll always see as your GP.
Parcours de soin – What is it ?
You may have heard that France has a generous health care system, and it’s true. Most French people don’t realise it and won’t stop complaining about “La Sécu”, the social security. This generosity implies that a lot of money is spent in our social system (around €700.000.000.000 each year).
In order to regulate these spendings, a system of “Parcours de Soin” (health pathway) has been implemented.
Parcours de Soin – What does it entail ?
It’s very simple. It means you have to see a GP before going to a specialist. If you’re not referred to a specialist by a GP, the fees may be higher.
When I say a specialist, I cover all the doctors that you hope to never see in your life (gastroenterologists, …). Dentists and ophthalmologists are not specialists, you can go and see them whenever you need to.
What is a médecin traitant?
The médecin traitant can be a GP, but that’s not always the case. It could be your homoeopath, your gynaecologist etc. Basically, it’s a health professional who knows you better than all others.
Does any GP work as a reference?
Theoretically no. In order to go and see a specialist, you should first make a stop at your “médecin traitant”. But it is not frowned upon to see any GP to get the reference, even if he is not your own.
The French government set up a system that helps you connect to different bodies of the administration such as your taxes (Impôts), the health system (Améli) etc. It’s called France Connect and it’s awesome.
After logging in, click on the “Mes informations” category in the top-right-hand corner and fill in your info.
Or you can just ask the doctor to be your “médecin traitant” during your consultation and they’ll do the registration for you.
The timeline
Let’s take a look at the system with my friend Napoleon. He’s been having a stomach ache for some time now and he is a busy guy, a lot of countries to conquer, etc. He hasn’t had time to look at what to do yet.
What does a visit to the doctor look like ?
Should I book an appointment or just walk-in?
You can do both, provided the doctor you want to see offers both options.
How do I find a doctor?
Usually, when you look for a doctor, you’ll type “médecin” or “généraliste” into Google Maps which in turn will show you all the GPs within your area. Tapping on their name should show you if they do walk-ins or you need to book an appointment.
Another way, which is the preferred option, is to use a booking platform. There are 2 main ones in France :
Personally, we at Urban Index use Doctolib. It’s very user friendly and you’ve got a lot of information, including if the doctor speaks another language.
Where can I find an English speaking doctor ?
Both Doctolib (in French) and Maiia (in French) offer the option to search their directories by language spoken.
You can also skim through some expat groups on Facebook where people share their recommendations.
Before going
What documents should you take to your appointment ?
Your previous prescriptions if you consult for the same reason
That’s it.
Upon Arrival
There is this myth going around that doctors are always late and that you can arrive with a 15-30 minute delay. Let’s not kid ourselves, this is true most of the time, but not all the time. And usually, if the doctor is late, it’s because they take the time to treat every patient with the care and attention they deserve.
Most doctors don’t have a staff or a secretary. Upon arrival, you just ring at the “interphone” and they buzz you in. Don’t forget to check the floor before you go.
You’ll have to look for the waiting room “Salle d’attente”. It’s fairly common to greet the people that are already there with a “Bonjour”. This is just in order to not get weird looks.
What happens after a visit to the doctor ?
How am I going to be reimbursed and how much?
There are several options and this is where things may get a little complex.
There are two types of doctors in France :
Conventionné ou Secteur 1: it means that you’ll be reimbursed with the Social security barema. This is the case for most GPs and it’s mentioned on their Doctolib profile. In short, it means you won’t have to pay too much.
Non-conventionné ou Secteur 2: it means the reimbursement barema from Social security won’t apply and you may pay more (dépassement d’honoraire).
Be advised that the payment to a doctor is called an “honoraire” and the secteur 2 doctors go above the normal honoraire, hence the “dépassement d’honoraire” (extra fee). For some treatment and actions, secteur 1 can also add some extra fees.
How does reimbursement work ?
You’ll pay for an examination, let’s say €25 for a consultation with a “médecin traitant” (which is a standard rate for every secteur 1 GPs).
To this amount is applied a rate called “taux de remboursement” (reimbursement rate). This is how much the healthcare system is going to reimburse you. For a consultation with your “médecin traitant”, it’s 70%. It’s only 30% if you didn’t declare your doctor as a “médecin traitant”
Hence, you pay €25 and you’ll get €17,50 back, that seems correct.
But you’ll see that you only get €16,50. This is because there is a special €1 fee applied.
Here is how to calculate the fees:
How much was the consultation (honoraires) ?
What is the taux de remboursement ?
Are there any additional fees ?
My final pay back will be :
€25
70%
Yes, €1
€16,50
The cost of the “honoraires” and the reimbursement rate vary depending on the type of doctor and the type of act they perform.
At the end of the examination, if need be, your doctor will give you a prescription (ordonnance) to get your medicine. Most of the time, it will be written in an indecipherable penmanship but don’t worry. You’ll just need to take your prescription and your carte vitale and go to the nearest pharmacy. The person behind the counter will, like magic, be able to read said prescription and give you the medication you need!
Tips and tricks
Make sure you respect the “parcours de soin” in order to lift some costs.
Check the prices of the doctor before going. If nothing is written, then, it’s the social security rate that applies
The French government set up a system that helps you connect to different bodies of the administration like the Impôts (Taxes), the health system etc. It’s on France Connect and it’s awesome.
