Explainer: french healthcare terms that are useful to know

FROM AMELI TO TICKET MODÉRATEUR TO AVIS PONCTUE L, USE OUR GLOSSARY OF FRENCH HEALTHCARE TERMS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM IN FRANCE Moving abroad can be a bit of a maze, with lots of

new systems to navigate as part of your everyday life. Upon your arrival in France, enrolling in the French healthcare system is one of the first things you should do. In doing so, you are

likely to see lots of new and unknown terms and phrases, so we have gathered some of the most common to explain exactly what they mean. _AVIS PONCTUEL_ A one-off opinion from a specialist.

_AMELI_ ‘_Assurance maladie en ligne_’, the website for the network of Cpams. You are asked to put in your postcode so as to tailor the information to your area. _ATTESTATION DE DROITS_

Certificate proving the right to French state health insurance. _CAISSE_ The body dealing with your state reimbursements; usually Cpam but may be another body if you are self-employed in

other sectors such as agriculture. _CARTE VITALE_ A health card that carries your social security data. For use when visiting health workers and pharmacies. _COMPLÉMENTAIRE SANTÉ SOLIDAIRE

(CSS)_ Top up insurance provided free by the state for people with low incomes. _COTISATION SUBSIDIAIRE MALADIE_ An annual payment into the state healthcare system for economically inactive

residents with means over a certain level. _CPAM_ _Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie_, your local state health insurance body. _DÉPASSEMENTS D’HONORAIRES_ That part of fees charged by

sector 2 doctors that goes above the state fixed tariff. _FEUILLES DE SOIN_ Reimbursement claims forms now not usually used where doctors accept your carte Vitale. _FRANCHISES_ Levies taken

off medicine reimbursements to help fund the health service. _HORS PARCOURS_ Health treatment sought away from, or without referral from your _mé_decin traitant. _MÉDECIN TRAITANT_ Your

personal GP. _MÉDECINE DE VILLE_ Treatment outside a hospital, eg. seeing a doctor at their surgery. _MÉDECIN CORRESPONDANT_ A doctor you are referred to by your _médecin traitan_t.

_MUTUELLE_ A top-up health insurance policy to refund the part of costs not repaid by the state system. Technically only policies offered by non-profit-making organisations come under this

term, but it is widely used for top-up policies in general. An alternative general term is _une complémentaire santé_. _ORDONNANCE PRESCRIPTION PARTICIPATION FORFAITAIRE_ A €1 charge paid on

a visit to the doctor, prescriptions and other medical acts to fund research. _PROTECTION UNIVERSELLE MALADIE (PUMA)_ The principle by which anyone legally-resident in France long term may

qualify for healthcare cover under the French system. _REMBOURSEMENT_ The refund paid by the state. _SUIVI RÉGULIER_ Referral to a doctor you will see regularly. _SÉCURITÉ SOCIALE_ A general

term for several services for French residents, including state healthcare and pensions, but especially associated with health. The French may refer to a reimbursement from _la Sécu._ The

healthcare branch is called _l’Assurance Maladie_. _TARIF DE CONVENTION_ The agreed level of cost of a medical act of which the state refunds a percentage. _TICKET MODÉRATEUR_ The part of

the _tarif de convention_ that is not state-reimbursed. RELATED ARTICLES HOW TO FIND A DOCTOR WHO SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH IN FRANCE EXPLAINER: PAYING TO SEE A DOCTOR OR HEALTH SPECIALIST IN

FRANCE HOW TO GET A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND CARTE VITALE IN FRANCE