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A Guide2 Healthcare in France

Category: Resources

Emergency Numbers

Medical Emergency - SAMU - 15

Police - Gendarme - 17

Fire - Pompiers - 18

Sea or Lake Rescue - 1616

Europe-wide Emergency Number - 112

Visiting France - Everyone needs an EHIC card and ake sure you're covered with travel insurance

You'll need a Carte Vitale or EHIC card to claim back medical costs, and you won't be reimbursed in full.

Description:

Whether you are visiting Poitou Charentes, or living here, we've put together this brief guide to help you understand your entitlements to healthcare, and the key steps you need to take to make sure you are covered while you are here.

Key points for everyone

The cost of any treatment you receive must be paid upfront, regardless of whether or not you can claim it back.
A typical consultation fee with a GP will cost you between 22 and 25 Euro.
Key telephone numbers to know in case of an emergency are:

Medical Emergency - SAMU	15
Police - Gendarme	17
Fire - Pompiers	18
Sea or Lake Rescue	1616
Europe-wide Emergency Number	112

Key points if you are visiting

Before you leave the UK, obtain the new plastic European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which replaces the old E111 and E128.
Both children and adults will need one of these cards each.
The EHIC entitles you to the same treatment as a resident of the country you are visiting.
Take out appropriate health cover, as full costs of treatment are not normally reimbursed in France, and any cost required to repatriate you will not be covered.

Key points for residents in France

The cost of treatment is rarely fully covered, and if you are covered by the French System, you will normally only recoup around 75% of what you have paid out, depending on the treatment.
You will need a Carte Vitale to enable you to claim back anything from the French healthcare system.
In order to get a Carte Vitale (whatever the circumstances) you will need to take proof of residence, copy of passport, birth certificate and marriage certificate to the Caisse Primaire Assurance Maladie (CPAM) along with the relevant form.
Residents will need to choose and register with a primary doctor (Medecin Traitant), and this will help ensure the maximum refunds are obtained.

Residents - What you are you entitled to and how you get it

Circumstances	Health covered by	UK Form req'd?	Where do I get it?	Do I need to renew it?	Insurance top-up needed?	Entitlement notes
Officially Retired UK National ¹	Carte Vitale	E121	DWP	No	Advisable	Spouse also covered, and some treatments 100% reimbursed
Under retirement age and not working	Private Insurance	None	N/A	N/A	N/A	Will become eligible to join at retirement age, or after 5 years residency
Under retirement age and not working - NICS paid in UK for previous 2 years	Carte Vitale	E106	HMRC	No	Advisable	Can join for 2 benefit years maximum (benefit year starts 1^st Sat in Jan)
Working and being paid in UK, family live in France	Carte Vitale (Family only)	E109	HMRC	Every year	Advisable	UK worker covered by EHIC whilst in France and NHS while in UK, Family covered by reciprocal agreement between UK and France.
Working and being paid in France	Carte Vitale	N/A	N/A	N/A	Advisable	Covered by paying contributions either deducted from source (employed) or paid annually (self-employed)
Unemployed living in France	Unemployed people who were unemployed in the UK may be entitled to limited benefits, but depends on individual circumstances - Register with ASSEDIC and ANPE.