Cost of Medicines

[Jyouthed]

My husband is 78.  When we enquired about top up medical insurance for him, the cost was prohibitive. We live on a UK pension. Unfortunately he has just had to spend 8 days in hospital.  He has been discharged with a prescription for 4 lots of medicines. At least one of which he will require for life.  As I read the bill, the total was 180 euros and CPAM paid only 78 of that leaving us with over 100 euros to pay. That is an awful lot of money. I was under the impression that one was reimbursed some 70% - am I wrong?

[Tony F Dordogne]

It depends on the medication that he's taking.  Some medicines are covered 65 or 70% but some may not be on the nationally approved list at all and therefore you have to pay the full 100% - my OH takes a drug like this and we have to pay 120 euros per month for it.

When you go to the pharmacy ask the pharmacist/dispenser whether there is a generic for the expensive drug and if so, can you have that instead.  Anso speak to your GP about changing for a cheaper alternative with the same effect.

[Jyouthed]

Thanks Tony, I will have a word with the GP on Monday.

[opas]

I do not wish to frighten you, but, you mention he has just spent 8 days in hospital. If I understood your post correctly , you do not have top up medical insurance. Your Hospital bill could give you a nasty shock, our daughters  bill for 4 days(she is 100% for the reason she was in hospital) was around 1,700 euros inclusive of the tests done.

[Will]

Medicines are reimbursed at 65% or 35% (depending on their type and the colour of the label). The consultation with the doctor will normally be reimbursed at 70% (less 1€). Hospital stays are more complicated. You can get virtually all of it back (except for basic 'living expenses') or, like Opas says, you can be saddled with a large bill. That's when the right top up insurance is important, just because the poklicy says 100% reimbursement, that is only 100% of the basic figure, you will still have to meet additional charges unless you have a top-range 400% policy.

[Jyouthed]

I realise we are going to be saddled with a large bill for the hospital - that will be no surprise.  When we enquired about to-up insurance we were quoted well over £100 per month for my husband because of his age. When you live on a pension that is an awful lot to find every month.  I would appreciate any advice you can give on this subject.

[Tony F Dordogne]

We pay a similar amount each because we both have and for me potentially life threatening conditions. At the end of the year we did a sort of cost benefit anaylsis for the pair of us and we were ahead on points - we 'made' about 300 euros over the year, premium against receipts.  And only the across the board increase in premiums that everybody else got at renewal.

I'm now on 100% but that only covers my leukaemia thing and associated maladies - but it's worth while the additional expenditure for teeth, glasses, accdent, non-associated hospital stays.

Would you have covered the cost of the hospital stay with your premium, if so, seems to be worth while?

And if, as you seem to be suggesting, you are on a low income, surely the French social security system would pick that up when you do your tax return and you wouldn't have to pay anyway?.