Worried your French isn’t good enough to get healthcare in France?

Did you know there are lists of English-speaking doctors, dentists, and other medical providers for your healthcare in France? You can find these lists on the websites of the Australian Embassy, the Canadian Embassy, and the US Embassy. Indeed, these lists are very useful, especially for international students in Paris.

Australian Embassy List: http://www.france.embassy.gov.au/pari/Engdoc.html
American Embassy List: http://photos.state.gov/…/f…/45994/acs/usc_paris-medical.pdf
Canadian Embassy List: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/…/consul…/medical.aspx…

Some things worth being aware of:

– For many years it was illegal here for medical providers to advertise or for people to recommend them online. As a result, other than the embassy websites the recommendations available can be limited.

– SOS medecins come to your house if you are too ill to go to a doctor. If not ill enough to go to a hospital: call +33 1 47 07 77 77. You can ask them to send you a doctor that speaks English if possible.

– In an emergency, you can call 112 for a doctor. This works throughout the European Union

– You can also call 18 in the case of fire, explosion, gas leak, accident (car, plane, train), people who collapse or are injured in a public place, etc

– Do copies or pictures of your Feuille de soin before sending them, keep them safe, and send the originals to social security.

– Feuille de soin are valid for two years and you can send them all, from the 1st of Sept

– You will receive a refund of 70% (based on sector 1 price) directly on your French bank account. If you have complementary insurance they will refund you the rest automatically.

You don’t need to send them bills but you need to send them by email your social security n° certificate, as soon as you receive it. If you don’t have a mutual and you want one, check here.

– If you don’t have a medecin traitant (referent doctor) you may be only refunded at 30% instead of 70%.

– If your referent doctor is absent, you can go to see another doctor and he will tick the box “Médecin traitant replaced”, same if you are out of town.

– If you need to see a specialist (except a gynecologist, psychiatrist, stomatologist, or ophthalmologist) you need a letter from your general practician. 

How to search for a doctor? 

2 options (both are French websites):

Ameli.fr (public platform)

Doctolib.fr (private platform): here you can do a filter with the language spoken

How much am I refunded?

You are refunded 70%. Be careful between doctors from sectors 1 and 2 (more info on page 8 of the guide).

You can be refunded more if you subscribe to a top-up insurance. If you only consult doctors from sector 1, you can be refunded 100% with a mutual. If you consult a doctor from sector 2 you need to be covered more than 100% by the mutual. That’s why it exists mutual that offers 120, 130, 150%… Our mutual Studcorp refunds you the total amount spent (no difference with sector 1 or 2).  

A mutual can also be useful if you need an act or care not covered by the social security as sometimes they cover it. 

How to be refunded? 

1. To get refunded, there are two ways:

– if you have the carte Vitale: give the card to your health professional and you will be automatically refunded by the social security on your French bank account and/or by the complementary health insurance if you have one.

If you have complementary health insurance (called also mutual) send them your social security n° so they can be linked with the social security and you don’t need to send them your bill to be refunded from them.

– if you don’t have the carte Vitale or your health professional doesn’t have the machine to accept it: you receive a “Feuille de soin” (orange/brown bill) filled in by your health professional.

Don’t leave the place without it. Make sure your appointment/act/medicine is covered by social security. If not, you won’t be able to get that Feuille de soin. If it’s not taken in charge by social security but you have private insurance or complementary insurance, they may take it in charge (ask them directly).

You need to fill in the Feuille de soin with your social security n°.

2. On the first time you go to a general doctor, ask a doctor to be your “medecin traitant” (your referent doctor) and ask him to fill in this form.

3. Send both by post to the address of your CPAM from your department. You can find the address also on the certificate with your social security n° or on Ameli.fr – Adresses et contacts – fill in with your ZIP code – then click on “l’envoi d’un document” then “Feuille de soin”.

Provide additional health coverage for total reimbursement

According to the feedback from many experiences, the health system in France is one of the best in the world. In addition to social security, which covers a good part of the consultation and medication costs, you can also request additional health care. This will complement Social Security reimbursements. You can subscribe to the supplement of your choice. However, as a partner, we can advise you on the most advantageous and which perfectly matches your profile. We will try to advise you as best as possible in order to subscribe to the mutual benefit most suited to your student case, and this, according to your annual resources.

How does Feel Français help you?

Our accompanying agency for foreign students in France, Feel Français can help you save money and time by assisting you in this whole procedure until you get your Vitale card. Indeed, a lot of students got their application refused because they uploaded the wrong documents on the website.

To benefit from our service, and get your documents pre-validated by us to obtain your social security number and get help if you are sick, you can subscribe to our pack to get access not only to the help for social security administrative procedures but also CAF, bank, accommodation, etc.

The + of our offer

Feel Francais offers you private health insurance and mutual in its packs. We will book your appointment for you when you are sick and deal with your refund too!

Discover more info about how to apply to healthcare in France in this article.