Trailblazing the French Healthcare System

Aside from the food and the "rudeness" of the French, the thing many of my American friends seem most curious about is the French health care system.  I actually received my Carte Vitale in October 2016, but have had no cause to use it until recently.  Maybe I can help clarify how the system works, but I can relate only MY experiences with various parts of it.

 

My Carte Vitale and my mutuelle card

First of all, I believe that once a person has been living in France for h3 months--which means they are on a legal visa of some sort, the person qualifies for health care in case of a catastrophe--cancer, an accident.  Also, once that three months has passed, the person is eligible to apply to become part of the French system.  I did not do that; instead I waited the full year and applied for my Carte Vitale at the same time as I made my first carte de sejour renewal.  (The carte de sejour is the card that says I am here legally)

Because I don't believe I am entitled to something for nothing, I also bought what would be the equivalent of a Medigap policy.  Such policies are called mutuelles here and provide coverage for things that the French system does not completely cover.  My mutuelle covers things like vision and dental care, in addition to lab work and parts of some prescriptions. Medicare does NOT cover you if you don't live in the States.

I have been having some vision issues that come with birthdays and went to the ophthalmologist  after waiting 5 months--a little short of the average of 6--for an appointment.  She speaks no English, but my French is good enough to negotiate my way through an exam.  Reading from the chapbook was a little funny, though....she couldn't tell if my hesitant reading was due to my eyesight or my poor French reading aloud skills.

I was asked for and presented my6 Carte Vitale....my entire eye exam was 35 Euros and I have been reimbursed for it--some by the French government, and some by my mutuelle.  They just put the money directly into my bank account, which is how it's normally done. 

There are some striking differences--offices are not swanky and in great big sterile office buildings.  The floors creak sometimes.  The doctors are more casual and they take time to talk and to listen.  Dr. LeRoux, the ophthalmologist, asked who my primary care physician was and when I told her I hadn't found one, she told me that I needed to do that as soon as possible.  It would somehow more securely register me in the system and would reduce the costs of medications and any emergency procedures that might arise.

Not something you'd normally take with you to your appointment in the States

So, I set off in search of a doctor who would agree to oversee my care.  That sounds easy-peasy, but in reality took several weeks.  Most of the general practices that I contacted were/are not accepting new patients.  I was lucky, though and found a wonderful English-speaking doctor who did agree to be my named physician.  

Now I am in the process of a battery of tests. I have had lab work done---no waiting and no cost to me, thanks to my mutuelle.  The results are e-mailed to both my physicians within 48 hours and will be mailed to me.  I have a prescription for a mammogram and Dr. Symons gave me a kit for a bowel cancer screening.  We send our poop samples through the mail here; that's something to think about.  My regular doctor visit is 25 Euros and again, I am reimbursed.  

I have learned a little about pharmacy and prescriptions....I am having a procedure done tomorrow on my eyes and I have to bring the syringe for injecting the dye as well as they dye.  I also have filled a prescription for the drops to dilate my eye and numb it as well.  I am expected to show up at the clinic ready to go.   We have to take a little more personal responsibility for procedures here than perhaps in the States.  My procedure tomorrow will cost 75 Euros, for which I will be reimbursed.  I can only guess at the price in the States.  

The pharmacist asks for your Carte Vitale and most medications are covered, either by it or by the mutuelle, with no out of pocket costs.  I also learned--the hard way--that pharmacies here do not necessarily stock the medicine on the prescription.  You have to plan time to order it...usually the medication arrives in 24 hours.  There have been a couple of other mishaps--last Tuesday was a nightmare--but all's well that ends well.  I have my procedure tomorrow, and soon, I hope, no cataracts and maybe even no need for glasses.  I have all my medications to take with me. While there is always more to learn,  I think I have the steepest part of my learning curve behind me.