In late September 2017 the summer season was coming to an end, meaning the pop up beach bar I had been working in for the previous 7 months in the Netherlands was closing. A job opportunity came up in Lille, working for a company in the travel industry, so I decided to make the move. At that time the UK was still in the EU, so it was perhaps easier to move then, than it would be now. I never planned to stay in France for 4 years, but as the world came to a standstill due to the COVID pandemic, travelling became increasingly difficult. As the office closed, all staff were given the opportunity to work from anywhere in mainland France. Therefore in April 2021 I decided to give up my apartment in Lille, and head down to sunny Perpignan, at the foot of the Pyrenees and only a few kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea.
How to get insulin in France.
As I knew I would be staying in France for the foreseeable future, and my insulin supplies were running low, I needed to get set up on the French healthcare system in order to obtain my diabetes supplies. The good thing is, if you live and work in France then you are entitled to state healthcare cover. I was given insurance through my work, so the next step was to register on the French social security system, the most common being the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM). This doesn’t guarantee free healthcare but will cover the amount the French state agrees to reimburse (usually around 70%). If you have a chronic medical condition, such as Type 1 diabetes, you can receive 100% coverage!
I went down to my local CPAM office to register and needed to show the following documents – my passport (national ID card also works), proof of my long-term residence, birth certificate, evidence of income and proof of address in France. I also booked an appointment at a doctors surgery to obtain a prescription. The diabetic prescriptions are valid for 3 months/3 visits to the pharmacy, and after it has expired (it is stamped in the pharmacy each time you use it), you will have to book another appointment at the doctors to have the prescription reissued.
Once you are fully registered in the French healthcare system you will be sent a Carte Vitale. You show this every time you use the healthcare system; at the doctors, in pharmacies to process your prescription, at the hospital etc. The card is entered into the system by the healthcare professional, which registers the treatment you receive with CPAM. If you visit for a diabetes related reason you will not be charged up front and it is all taken care of with the Carte Vital. If the visit is for another reason, you will have to pay up front, and then you will receive some money back (usually 70% as stated above), directly into your bank account once it has been processed by CPAM.
If you have not received the Carte Vital yet, but still need medical assistance, you will be given a treatment form (feuille de soins) once you have paid. When you receive the Carte Vitale, you can sign the feuille de soins and send it off to CPAM, and they will reimburse the correct amount directly into your bank account.
Getting set up on the system was smooth enough and in the last 4 years I have no had a problem with obtaining the supplies I need.