Health

The French health system is designed to offer basic health insurance to all residents, regardless of their nationality.  Social security covers most of the costs of medical care related to illness, pregnancy, work accidents, etc. If you are French, you are automatically registered with social security. If you’re from another country, you’ll need to register according to your status. To find out more, head to this website: Service-public.fr

For French people, the Carte Vitale (health insurance card) is an essential document. It enables you to be reimbursed directly to your bank account when you see a doctor or other health professional. You don’t have to do anything: you’ll be automatically reimbursed. 

For foreigners, the procedures to obtain this card vary according to your status (student, employed, jobseeker, etc.) and also where you’re from (United Kingdom, European Union, Switzerland, or other). We therefore can’t summarise all the procedures here. However, if you come from another EU member state, you can use your European health card in France. 

It’s also a good idea to sign up to a complementary health insurance policy (known as une mutuelle) to cover the costs that the social security scheme doesn’t reimburse. That way, you’ll be better reimbursed for specialised medical care, medication not covered under the basic scheme, and hospitalisation. It’s worth taking some time to compare different mutuelle offers to find one that suits your needs. If you’re a student, you can request the ‘Complémentaire Santé Solidaire’. Head to the national social security website Ameli to find out more.

If you need to make an appointment with a health professional, you can use Doctolib, an online platform. You’ll find many doctors and specialists, with their available appointments listed. You can easily reserve online or call their office directly to make an appointment. 

If you have a health problem, you can consult a médecin généraliste (general practioner / family doctor) who will then direct you to a specialist, if necessary. If you don’t have an allocated doctor, you can consult any doctor, but you won’t be reimbursed as much by social security. 

If case of emergency, here are the numbers you should know :

SAMU (medical emergencies): 15

Fire department: 18

Police: 17 

In such situations, you can say: ‘J’ai besoin d’aide, il y a une urgence médicale/accident/incident’ (I need help, there’s a medical emergency / accident / incident.)

Organisations such as the Planning Familial offer consultations on issues such as contraception, sexuality, and violence. You can also consult your general practice doctor about such issues.   

In summary, to have good access to healthcare in France, it’s important to understand the social security system, to have a health card, and to register for a ‘mutuelle’. You can use services like Doctolib to make appointments, and don’t forget the emergency service numbers in case you need them. 

Header photo : Stéphane Pachot