When you get sick abroad, you're often a little lost and worried... Fear of overspending, doubts about the reliability of local doctors and the idea that "it will pass" often result in postponing the visit to the doctor until you return home. But in some cases, the consequences can be serious. And then there are the emergencies where you have to go to the doctor wherever you are... So what to do? Here are all our tips!
Treatment in Europe
The European Health Insurance Card
If you go on holiday in a European Union country or Switzerland, you can get treatment in clinics and hospitals by paying only the co-payment for a consultation and benefit from the third party payment, exactly as in France. To do this, you must obtain the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at least 15 days before your departure from your health insurance fund (at one of the reception points), on the social security website (section "Your online services/forms/care received abroad") or by telephone at 36 46. The EHIC is valid for a maximum of 2 years but can be renewed thereafter without problems, as long as you are still entitled to health insurance
If your departure takes place in less than 15 days, your health insurance fund will issue you with a provisional replacement certificate, valid for three months. It certifies your rights to health insurance and you will be able to use it under the same conditions as the EHIC.
If you paid a fee on site
If you do not have an EHIC, or an EHIC certificate, you must therefore pay the full medical costs on the spot. However, the good news is that it is still possible to be reimbursed for treatment received in the European Union. Remember to keep receipted invoices and proof of payment. Then download the form "Care received abroad" with all the original receipts (keep a copy or take a photo) and send it to your health insurance company.
You will then be reimbursed on the basis of the rates in force in the State of stay or choose to be reimbursed according to French law by notifying it on the form. The second option is recommended, as French legislation is often quite advantageous for policyholders compared to other European countries. However, you should know that you will be reimbursed much less quickly than in France: count 2 months. Your mutual insurance company will then complete these reimbursements, as if you were in France
Health care in developing countries
It is always more complicated to treat oneself in a developing country because one generally trusts the ordinary doctor much less than in Europe... So a piece of advice: absolutely avoid public hospital emergency rooms because, even if it's generally cheap or even free, it's often the court of miracles (except in Cuba where medicine is of quality everywhere) and you might leave sicker than when you arrived... For example, going to a public hospital in India is very risky: dilapidated facilities, lack of hygiene, promiscuity of patients... So the solution is to go to an international clinic. Every capital or large city in every country usually has one and most of the time there is also an international pharmacy on site. It is important, here again, to keep all the bills for the treatment because when you return home, you can get them reimbursed by sending back the famous "Care received abroad" form. You will be reimbursed according to the social security scale in France and your mutual insurance company will make the rest of the reimbursements
The special case of the United States
In the United States, health care is very expensive when you don't have health insurance according to the American system (insurance reserved for residents and Americans that tourists can't subscribe to) and the slightest consultation, even for a simple cold will cost you at least 200 US $ . For a simple gastroenteritis, you can pay up to 1600 US$, depending on your pathology. But in any case, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is necessary to call the switchboard of the medical practice beforehand and explain that you are a tourist without health insurance, in order to find out how much you risk to pay and to go to the medical practice/clinic offering the lowest prices (rates vary greatly from one place to another). Once you have settled your health expenses, the solution is, once again, to keep the original receipts and then be reimbursed by social security and its mutual insurance company. However, if you are an American Express Gold or Visa Premier Gold cardholder, you can be reimbursed for the remaining amount by your card's insurance (even if you didn't pay for your ticket with it) and in this case it can be really interesting because the sums can be enormous. However, you will have to provide proof from your social security and mutual insurance company that you have been reimbursed (according to the French scale) so that the rest of the sum is returned to you. Finally, in the event of a heavier treatment, following a fracture for example, call your Gold card insurance immediately for immediate care that will prevent you from ending up on the straw . This is true all over the world, but especially in the United States. Finally, if you don't have a Gold card and therefore don't have the medical insurance that goes with it, we strongly recommend that you take out health insurance for your trip (between €20 and €40 on average).
