SETTLING IN - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 131

calls) and procedures are the most modern. The entire
working community—employers, employees and the self-
employed—contributes to this state-funded insurance plan.
Anyone who has a carte de séjour —employed or not—is
eligible for coverage. For information in French, access the
l'Assurance Maladie website (www.ameli.fr).
Physicians and private clinics are either conventionnés ,
whereby they abide by the prices set by the Sécurité Sociale,
or non-conventionnés , whereby they set their own prices.
In the case of the latter, only some of the costs may be
covered if it is determined that the prices for the services
performed were not competitive. If a service is non agréé ,
the particular treatment is not covered; agréé means the
services are covered.
People choose their own médecin traitant , usually a
généraliste , who authorises visits to spécialistes when
needed. The patient pays for treatment and medicines and is
reimbursed up to only about 70 per cent. Spécialistes charge
more than généralistes , and honoraires libres (doctors who
set their own fees) are allowed to vary their prices.
When you are enrolled in the French health system, you
will be issued a carte vitale containing your permanent health
plan number and other information. You can check your
information at any CPAM office by inserting your card into
the machine, usually by the door.

Supplemental Insurance Companies
Remember that French insurance pays only a portion
of your medical costs. Private insurance companies sell
mutuelles —supplemental policies that cover costs otherwise
not reimbursed. Shop around, for some mutuelles cover more
costs than others and ask about dental and eyeglass coverage.
Some employers offer mutuelles as part of their benefit plan.
See Mutuelles d'assurances in the Yellow Pages . Students might
inquire about health systems as below:
La Mutuelle des Etudiants; tel: [phone];
website:http://www.lmde.com

La Societé des Etudiants de la Région Parisienne;

tel: [phone]; website:http://www.smerep.fr