Brian Posted April 15, 2006 Share Posted April 15, 2006 My wife and I are planning a permanent move to France later this year. We both have illnesses that require regular medication. Does anyone know where we could find out approximate costs for our various medications and how much can be claimed back from CPAM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted April 15, 2006 Share Posted April 15, 2006 You can only get a prescription for three months then you have to see a doctor (20 Euros) for the next one. In the first case my doctor would only give me one month and insisted I saw two specialists to ensure I had what I had and that I had the right drugs. I also get to see the same specialists once a year as part of my annual 'MOT'.The reason I mention this is because assuming you join CPAM (have a E106 or 121) you really should get a mutual as well for the balance. If you do this you pay nothing for your prescriptions, well I never do put it that way and the mutual will cost around 1,000 Euros per year for a couple. The only person I ever pay is my doctor but then the money is back in my bank account by the end of the month.To find out the cost of drugs I think there is a website (govenrment) but it's all in French and you need to know the name of your drug in French as many are known by their brand name and France may use different manufacturers. Some things are 100% cvered as in the UK, I believe diabetics get 100% but not being one myself I don't really know for sure. You only get the 100% for just that illness and not for any others i.e. if you had the flu you would still pay for your antibiotics for the flu if you see what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted April 15, 2006 Share Posted April 15, 2006 I don't know of anywhere where you'll find costs, even approximate, of any prescribed medicines.I use Doctissimo for basic info on anything medical.You can try a search per active ingredient, which will help you find an equivalent drug in France for your condition, or a search per manufacturer to see if the same medication is available in France.Even with this info, you might not find what % is reimbursed, but the general principle is shown here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Dordogne Posted April 15, 2006 Share Posted April 15, 2006 The price of the drugs and generics are governed by CPAM approved payments and you should be warned that some drugs that doctors prescribe here are NOT covered on any approved list, hence OH has been paying E75 per 28 days for drugs not covered by CPAM and therefore not by assurance. However, she has now changed to a generic which is much cheaper and is covered by CPAM/assurance.The list of approved drugs here for maladies longue duree is much more extensive than it is in the UK - I had to pay for my chemo in the UK but don't have to here, nor for any of the asthma, hypertension or gout medication (as I did in the UK) as those conditions have been caused by the type of leukaemia that I have or the drugs I take to ameliorate it.But it is likely that you will have to have the drugs prescribed for you by a specialist before your GP will give for a prescription for the 100% cover.Easy to arrange - when you get settled, register with a GP and ask to be referred on to the specialist of your/GP's choice, specialist writes to GP and all subsequent ordance should be 100% if you qualify.But assurance is essential as it covers all the other things - glasses, teeth, new maladies etc and is well worth the premium - we got ours back last year within 8 months of taking out the new policy because I wasn't at that time on the 100% thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted April 15, 2006 Share Posted April 15, 2006 [quote user="Tony F Dordogne"]I had to pay for my chemo in the UK but don't have to here, nor for any of the asthma, hypertension or gout medication (as I did in the UK) as those conditions have been caused by the type of leukaemia that I have or the drugs I take to ameliorate it.[/quote]I think it should be stressed that the asthma drugs are not normally 100%. I am diagnosed as accute asthmatic both in the UK and here and I don't get any of my asthma drugs 100% free. Neither do I get my heart drugs, I have been stented and have heriditary angina. Also my friend suffers from gout and in conversation about mutuals he said he no longer has to pay anything for his tablets because the mutual covers the difference.As Tony said he gets these free because of another condition so it would seem that I was incorrect in assuming that you don't get the rest of your medicine 100% free if you have an illness that entitles you to 100%. So if you have say diabeties then it would seem you will get all your medicine paid for 100% providing they are linked to diabeties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 [quote user="Quillan"]...Neither do I get my heart drugs, I have been stented and have heriditary angina.... [/quote]I have a stent and take five different drugs each day. My doctor immediately submitted a note to our CPAM and I'm now classified as having a "long term illness". I get all my heart consultations and medication paid 100% - my mutuelle even gave me a 15% discount on my premiums for the heart condition!!The 100% only applies to my heart condition. Anything else is normal tariff, so I still have to pay for my piles cream.....[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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