The system of health care in France is known as l'assurance maladie, or the Scu, an abbreviation of securit-sociale,

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In France Healthcare System in France The system of health care in France is known as l'assurance maladie, or the Sécu, an abbreviation of securité-sociale, although the latter term is often also used to refer more generally to the system of social security in France. French employees see about 20 percent of their gross salary, deducted at source, to fund the social security system. A significant proportion of this money goes towards public healthcare, to which every legal resident of France has access under the law of universal coverage called la Couverture maladie universelle. Health care in France is funded by a dual system of health insurance comprising: • A State controlled health insurance social security system, called l’assurance maladie and; • A separate voluntary health insurance system called assurance complémentaire provided through mutual organizations and private insurers. Anyone in France can consult any doctor or specialist, regardless of whether the patient is affiliated to the French social security system or has private medical insurance. If you are ocial security system, generally speaking around 70% your healthcare costs will be covered. This includes seeing a general practitioner as well as certain specialists. To cover those medical costs that will not be picked up by the State, you must take out voluntary health insurance. Here is an example of reimbursement rates based on different kinds of ...

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Healthcare System in France

The system of health care in France is known asl'assurance maladie, or theSécu, an abbreviation ofsecuritésociale, although the latter term is often also used to refer more generally to the system of social security in France.French employees see about 20 percent of their gross salary, deducted at source, to fund the social security system. A significant proportion of this money goes towards public healthcare, to which every legal resident of France has access under the law of universal coverage calledla Couverture maladie universelle. Health care in France is funded by a dual system of health insurance comprising: • A State controlled health insurance social security system, calledl’assurance maladieand; • A separate voluntary health insurance system calledassurance complémentaireprovided through mutual organizations and private insurers. Anyone in France can consult any doctor or specialist, regardless of whether the patient is affiliated to the French social security system or has private medical insurance. If you are affiliated to the French social security system, generally speaking around 70% your healthcare costs will be covered. This includes seeing a general practitioner as well as certain specialists. To cover those medical costs that will not be picked up by the State, you must take out voluntary health insurance. Here is an example of reimbursement rates based on different kinds of treatments. GP/specialist: 70% Major surgery: 95% Minor surgery: 80% Pregnancy/childbirth: 95100% Prescribed medicines: 65% (white label); 35% (blue label); 15% (orange/yellow label) Xrays: 70% Routine dental: 70% Nursing care at home: 70%

The medical fees are set by the government for all doctors who have signed a contract with the Social security system,médecins conventionnés. Amédecin nonconventionnéis not part of the system and his or her fees will not be reimbursed. You are free to choose any general practitioner you want and change them for any reason; the same is true with any specialists although if you want to be reimbursed for visits to any kind of specialist, yourmédecin traitantmust first make the referral. You can choose not to register with a doctor, but you will receive a lower rate of reimbursement from the social security system. If you chose to go directly to a specialist without the referral of yourmédicien traitant,you will receive a lower level of reimbursement. There are nevertheless, certain specialists such as dentists whom patients can continue to see without having to pass through amedicin traitant. These are all covered by the state without referral by the médecin traitant. The process of registering with a doctor takes place when you join the health system through your localCaisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM). They will give you a form to complete, which should be returned via your doctor when you make a visit. You can later change your doctor, but you need to repeat the same process. You should also note that a doctor is not obliged to accept all applicants as a patient, or to continue to treat an existing patient. When you affiliate to the system you will receive yourcarte vitale(green card) which you must take with you whenever you visit a doctor, specialist or hospital, and when you pick up prescribed medicines. To make up the difference of what the State does not cover, it is common in France to also subscribe to a private medical insurance policy,mutuelle. There are dozens ofmutuelles, some of which are specific to types of profession and some of which cater to English speakers. More than 80 percent of French people have supplemental insurance, which are often provided by their employers. Most employers will reimburse the remaining 30 percent of your general healthcare costs, including emergency hospital treatment. Consult your policy, however, to verify the details of what is covered and at what rate. If your income falls below a certain ceiling and do not have a mutuelle, you are also eligible to complementary statefunded healthcare,CMU complémentaire, that will pick up what regular reimbursements do not.