🇫🇷 France · Healthcare
How the France healthcare system works — public vs private care, eligibility, and costs for residents and visitors.
France's public health insurance (Assurance Maladie) covers anyone working or residing in France on a stable, regular basis through the Protection Universelle Maladie (PUMa). It reimburses a large share of medical costs; most people also take a complementary "mutuelle" to cover the remainder. You manage your cover and reimbursements through your Ameli account.
- PUMa covers anyone working or stably residing in France; you register with Assurance Maladie (sécurité sociale).
- The system reimburses a large part of costs; a complementary "mutuelle" covers most of the rest.
- You manage cover, reimbursements and your carte Vitale through your Ameli account.
- Coverage starts once you meet the stable-residence condition — check Service-Public/Ameli for current rules.
Official authorities
- Assurance Maladie (ameli.fr) — PUMa
Official health-insurance portal.
- Universal Health Protection (Service-Public)
Official guide to PUMa eligibility.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of France — Office of the French Prime Minister — government policies, ministers, and key legislation
- France Public Services (Service-Public) — France's unified administrative services — residence permits, taxes, social security, civil records
- French General Tax Directorate (DGFiP) — French income tax, VAT, wealth tax filing; tax residency determination; French tax number (NIF) application