Doctors in France

In France, you can get a doctor's appointment with most doctors without registering with them. Doctolib is the website which allows you to book medical appointments quickly and easily. You can specify the type of doctor you need, the location, the language and the cost. If you just need a GP, you can search for a ‘médecin généraliste’. 

You don’t have to register with a GP (médecin traitant), but it’s a good idea to if you find one you like as it can make booking appointments quicker and it will also be cheaper. When you have a registered GP, social security will reimburse you 70% rather than 30% (if they’re Secteur 1, see below). When you go to an appointment you can ask for a form, which you then fill in and send off to your local Assurance Maladie. 

Payment system (tiers payant)

In France, doctors are classified under three tiers (tiers payant) that determine the prices they can charge patients and how much is reimbursed by social security. It is very important to check this before booking an appointment to avoid paying more than you planned. The tiers are as follows:

Conventionné - Secteur 1. The price of a consultation is fixed at 25€, and 70% (16,50€) is reimbursed by the Assurance Maladie.

Conventionné - Secteur 2. The price of a consultation can be more than 25€, but whatever the cost, the Assurance Maladie will reimburse you between 15,10€ and 16,50€ (depending on whether or not they are a member of l’OPTAM).

Non conventionné - Secteur 3. The price of a consultation is not fixed and the doctor is free to charge any amount. 61 centimes will be reimbursed by the Assurance Maladie.

A doctor should be transparent about which secteur they practise under, but if you’re unsure you can search them on the annuaire santé: annuairesante.ameli.fr 

Mutuelle (extra health insurance)

As social security doesn’t cover the full cost of healthcare, you can sign up to a type of health insurance called ‘mutuelle’ or ‘complémentaire santé’ to cover some or all of the remaining cost of your treatment. In France, a Mutuelle is mandatory for all private sector employees but optional for everyone else. Costs of these insurance schemes vary depending on the percentage of the cost that they cover, and the more you pay the more you will get reimbursed. To find a Mutuelle that fits your needs, you can go to a comparison website such as Les Furets to see your options. If you are someone with a long-term medical condition and have regular medical appointments then investing in a Mutuelle could be a good idea.