How are patients affected by the new rise in doctors’ fees in France?
The changes affect GP visits as well as specialist consultations
Most of France’s GPs are self employed and face increased costs due to inflation
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The cost of visiting a GP or a specialist in France is rising today (December 22) in line with a deal agreed between doctors’ unions and the French healthcare system earlier this year. Here is what you need to know.
What are the new prices for visiting a doctor in France?
GPs for adults and children over 6: €30 (up from €26.50)
GPs for children under 6: €35 (up from €31.50)
Specialists €60 (up from €56.50).
Read more: GPs and specialists: List of new fees starting December 2024 in France
However, most patients in the state system only have to pay a flat-rate €2 participation forfaitaire (in place since May 2024) as out-of-pocket expenses, up to a maximum of €50 a year.
The rest of the price of consulting a GP or specialist is reimbursed by the Assurance-maladie French healthcare system and, if the patient has one, their health top-up insurance (mutuelles).
These reimbursement rates are not changing: the Assurance-maladie system continues to pay 70% and health top-up insurance 30% of the new consultation prices.
Nonetheless, 4% of French people do not have top-up insurance (according to data from franceinfo).
Why are the prices rising?
The price of medical visits last increased in October 2023 when it went from €25 to €26.50. This was far less than what doctors had hoped and led to a strike on October 13, 2023.
Most of France’s GPs are self employed, and must pay the operating cost of their surgeries themselves.
Speaking during the strike, Dr Jean-Christophe Nogrette, deputy general secretary of GP union MG France, told FranceInfo: “It is unacceptable: €26.50 is much less than inflation over the last six years. [Consultations should rise to] at least €30 to take account of inflation rises since 2017.”
The Assurance-maladie presented unions with a deal for another rise in February 2024, which they signed on June 4.
Under the deal, doctors were granted the higher consultation price in exchange for agreeing to 15 action points. These include decreasing the number of sick days they approve and implementing several changes to long term care.
Read more: Health and healthcare: what's new in France in 2025
Note that some doctors already charge more than the standard rates approved for reimbursement by the Assurance-maladie.
What the changes mean for long-term care?
The system of long-term care, known as ALD (affection de longue durée) relates to any illness that is long term and/or sufficiently serious to warrant prolonged, ongoing medical treatment.
ALD conditions account for two-thirds of social security reimbursements - a figure expected to rise as the population ages.
Read more: Is long-term illness care in France poised to change?
The rising prices will see changes brought in to how much patients must contribute to transport costs as well as ending exemptions from flat-rate charges for certain procedures and products, such as drugs with ‘low medical value’, spa treatments or drugs not specific to pathologies recognised as ALD.
