Contents of article "Choosing your doctor"
Choosing your médecin traitant
Choosing your médecin traitant
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From January 1st 2006, residents of France who have not registered with a specific doctor, a médecin traitant, will be taxed on their reimbursement and therefore receive less money back than those who have nominated a doctor.
If you have not yet designated a doctor, you can obtain lists of doctors in your region from your local CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie).
If you are resident, and registered with the health system, you should have automatically received Cerfa form No 12485*01 Déclaration de Choix du médecin traitant.
It is on this form that you state your choice of doctor. The doctor does not have to be a GP - he may be a specialist if you prefer, but obviously you need to take into account his proximity for visits.
The form should be taken first to your chosen doctor, who will fill it in with you, and stamp it. He is in fact agreeing to be your médecin traitant The form should than be submitted by you to CPAM (Caisse d’Assurance Maladie) office. (To find your local CPAM office, check out the French site
http://www.ameli.fr/)
If you have lost the form originally sent to you, you can obtain another from your local CPAM.
If you wish to change your médecin traitant, you may do so at any time by filling in another form and submitting it to the CPAM. You do not have to consult your médecin traitant every time if you do not wish, but you will be reimbursed at a lower rate for visiting another doctor .
If you are on holiday elsewhere in France, and cannot attend your chosen médecin traitant, you may attend any doctor and will be reinbursed at the same rate.
Once you have chosen your médecin traitant he or she will be responible for your records, results and referrals to specialists. However, there are certain exceptions for referrals. You may make appointments directly with: gynaecologists, dentists, ophthalmologists.
Holiday makers visiting France will not be affected by these new initiatives.
For more info or to find your local CPAM office, check out the French site
http://www.ameli.fr/
