Here is what I know about the healthcare system in France.\u00a0 Everybody register with a family doctor – a g\u00e9n\u00e9raliste.\u00a0 In most cases, people go through the family doctor for treatments so that the cost will be properly reimbursed.\u00a0 I heard it’s also easier to get an appointment with a specialist through the family doctor.\u00a0 In the case of maternity, however, it’s not necessary to go through the family doctor.\u00a0 We don’t have a family doctor, and we went directly to see a sage-femme (midwife).<\/p>\n
People go to laboratories to do various tests and scans requested by doctors or other healthcare professionals.\u00a0 There may or may not be laboratories in or close to the hospital.\u00a0\u00a0 Seems like laboratories are independent from hospitals.\u00a0 People can have their own choices of laboratories to have the tests done.\u00a0 In my case, the SF gives me a paper, which lists the blood test and urine test to be done.\u00a0 She uses a hospital stamp, and also signs on the paper.\u00a0 In the laboratory, I give that paper and my health insurance card to the register.\u00a0 And then, they will take samples for the tests, and give me an instruction about how to get the results online.\u00a0 By the way, they will confirm my birthday, because it’s the password to access the results online.<\/p>\n
Similar to the laboratories, pharmacies are also independent from hospitals.\u00a0 There are so many pharmacies around the city.\u00a0 Just show them the prescription paper and the health insurance card.\u00a0 Depends on the type of medicine, the reimbursement percentage varies.\u00a0 I have had Fe and vitamin D supplement, which are 100% covered by social security and mutuelle.\u00a0 In comparison, for the pain reliever (to take during the irregular contractions at home), only 15% is covered.<\/p>\n
One important thing if you do not have the carte vitale yet.\u00a0 After all, it takes months to get the carte vitale, even with best luck!\u00a0 The temporary social security number on the health insurance card (from mutuelle company) should work as well!\u00a0 But some people in the laboratories and pharmacies may not know that!\u00a0 For me, the first visit to the laboratory took me more than half an hour to register.\u00a0 Partly due to the language barrier, but mainly because she did not know about the temporary social security number.\u00a0 At last I took out the form of Declaration of Pregnancy that I was about to mail to CAF, and somehow she believed in that form (filled by us) more than the health insurance card.\u00a0 After that, my visit to the same laboratory has been easy and fast, although they still ask me whether I have the carte vitale every time I go.\u00a0 Similar things also happened to me in a pharmacy.\u00a0 People in one pharmacy insist to see the carte vitale.\u00a0 So I went to a different pharmacy, where people (not all) there know what to do.<\/p>\n
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Here is what I know about the healthcare system in France.\u00a0 Everybody register with a family doctor – a g\u00e9n\u00e9raliste.\u00a0 In most cases, people go through the family doctor for treatments so that the cost will be properly reimbursed.\u00a0 I heard it’s also easier to get an appointment with a specialist through the family doctor.\u00a0 … <\/p>\n