The French Health Care System is one of the best in the world, offering high quality of services and being easily accessible at the same time. Introduced in 1945, it was initially intended to cover the entire population.
EU/EEA citizens (which includes all 25 EU members, Iceland, Lichtenstain and Norway) who moving to France for a period not exceed 3 months are automatically entitled to free basic health care in France due to reciprocal agreements among EU countries. European citizens who are travelling within the European Economic Area equipped with European Health Insurance Card (French only), simplify the procedure when receiving medical assistance during their stay in a Member State. The European Health Insurance Card replaces forms E111 and E111B, E110, E128 and E119.
Before your departure, you should apply to the competent institution in your country for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The card will ensure that you have access to healthcare in France as French citizens.
If your EHIC is lost or stolen while you are abroad, or if your card hasn’t been issued by the time you leave for France, the competent institution in your country can issue you a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC), this document provides the same cover as the EHIC, but for a maximum period of three months.
The place to contact for information about conventionné doctors (working within the state health system) and conventionné and agréé (approved) hospitals and medical facilities in metropolitan France is the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) or the Caisse Générale de Sécurité Sociale (CGSS) in the overseas départements (DOM).
Find the local CPAM or CGSS visit the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie des Travailleurs Salariés (CNAMTS) website
Non EU/EEA citizens who moving to France for a period not exceed 90 days must check with relevant local agency if there is a bilateral agreement that will cover they in France. These normally cover only limited urgency healthcare and you are advised to get comprehensive private insurance. If you get private insurance, make sure that they provide cover in France.
For period exceed 3 months in France, you should subscribe to the French Social Security System, which includes also the Health Insurance.
If you are under the French Social security, your dependants are also automatically covered.
Subscription to the general French social security system gives rights only to the basic health insurance coverage which reimburses usually only part of medical expenses.
For illegal immigrants without social insurance benefit, for themselves and for their dependents, the state health emergency (AME).
The French Social Security System more
Map of hospitals and clinics more