Health abroad

Reimbursement of care provided abroad: how to proceed?

Publié le 03 juillet 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You're on vacation abroad, or you're working in a foreigner country, and you've had to receive care. Do you know that it is possible to get reimbursed for care received abroad, as well as those of your children, from your ameli account? The Health Insurance website informs you about the steps to be taken.

What steps should be taken?

To claim reimbursement for care performed abroad, log in to your friendly account under "My steps" and select "Claim reimbursement for care abroad".

The first step is to prepare all the necessary documents for the process:

  • invoices bearing the words ‘invoice paid’;
  • proof of payment;
  • and any medical prescriptions.

You will first need to provide information about the ameli account holder (whether or not they are a care recipient).

Then it will be necessary to specify the person in the family who received the care abroad and indicate:

  • the nature of the care provided;
  • the amount of care in local currency;
  • the dates of the stay abroad;
  • the reason for the move;
  • if it's hospitalization.

Once you have validated the information, you can submit the requested supporting documents.

One tutorial of Health Insurance summarizes the approach.

Reminder

If you are going on holiday to Europe (European Union or European Economic Area state), Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you must request the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This free card allows you to receive on-site medical care according to the legislation and formalities in force in the country of stay. You can order the EHIC on the Health Insurance website by logging in to your friendly account (“My steps”).

Provision of medical care during a stay

If you have the European Health Insurance Card with you:

  • you do not have to advance medical expenses; or
  • or you have to make an advance payment for medical expenses and you are reimbursed on the spot by the social security agency of your place of stay.

You paid medical expenses on site without claiming a refund

In this case, you must keep all the invoices paid and the proof of payment; you may be reimbursed on your return to France via the Health Insurance: the request is made in the section “My steps” then “Request a reimbursement of care abroad”.

If you do not have an ameli account, send your health insurance fund the proof along with the form S3125 Care received abroad. You will be reimbursed on the basis of the rates in force in the State of stay and within the limits of the expenses incurred. You can choose to be reimbursed according to the French legislation by indicating it on the form.

Stay outside Europe

If you are going on holiday to a country outside the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), Switzerland and the United Kingdom, only urgent and unforeseen medical care may be covered by your health insurance fund on your return to France.

Please note

In the event of a holiday in your country of origin, arrangements laid down by agreements between France and the country of stay may provide for on-the-spot payment of your medical care. The health insurance fund can tell you whether you are covered by them and, if so, the formalities to be completed before your departure to benefit from them.

FYI  

Forgot your EHIC? Did you lose it or was it stolen? The Health Insurance offers you remote help:

  • from your ameli account : let yourself be guided by the bot after having asked him "EHIC";
  • by telephone: dial from abroad +33 184 90 36 46 (variable rate depending on the telephone operator).

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