Email shock following visit to French health clinic
After returning home from a cancer check, reader received a message that her social security number was needed
CPAM confirmed patient was entitled to care and suggested she lodge a complaint with a national medical body about the service in question
fizkes / Shutterstock
A reader has told of a distressing situation that occurred shortly after moving to France which left her unable to access urgent medical care.
As she did not yet have a médecin traitant (regular GP) and was not yet registered in the healthcare system, she went to a walk-in clinic in Vannes, Morbihan with what she believed was a form of skin cancer on the back of her hand.
Many cities have seven-day-a-week clinics where people can see GPs and nurses without an appointment. These can be useful if you are unable to see your own doctor at short notice.
She said a doctor took photos and wanted to forward them to a dermatologist at a hospital. However, on returning home, she found an email saying the clinic needed her social security number.
"Email exchanges followed and they said they understood that as retired new immigrants we did not have one yet - and we were able to pay directly and were willing to see the dermatologist in person. However, the way their system was designed, they were unable to proceed without a number. In other words, their solution was to deny care."
She said she called the local CPAM (state health reimbursements body) which confirmed she was entitled to care and suggested she lodge a complaint with a national medical body about the clinic.
"If the software is really unable to proceed without a number, it is a flaw in the design which could affect other new immigrants,” she said.
"Meanwhile, I have a growing skin cancer in a difficult-to-remove spot and I am the only one who thinks there is any urgency.
"This is a sad warning to those who were looking forward to the French medical system."
We have not identified the specific clinic involved, however Connexion team members have occasionally had experience of inadequate care at drop-in clinics.
While they can be a stop-gap at weekends and evenings, they are not the best solution for genuine emergencies.
In such cases you should call 15 to obtain advice, likely to include going to the nearest urgences (emergency department), where it will be possible to be seen and if necessary to be helped to see a relevant specialist. Most larger towns and cities will have at least one of these.
They will not refuse treatment, but you will be billed afterwards for the care. Newcomers from the US should have a private health insurance policy for the first year, which should help to pay this.
