Registering with the state health insurance system or “sécurité sociale”
If you have stable employment or residence in France, you are entitled to cover for your health…
If you have few or no financial resources and are enrolled in the state health insurance system known as social security or “sécurité sociale”, you can apply for “Complémentaire santé solidaire (CSS)”. It covers any health expenses that are not fully reimbursed under social security.
Verified by Comede on 31/05/2023
The complementary state health insurance known as the “Complémentaire santé solidaire (CSS)” ensures that:
Depending on your resources, you can either benefit from the “CSS”:
Note: the “CSS” has replaced the “Couverture maladie universelle complémentaire (CMU-C)” system.
To be eligible, the main conditions are:
There are two ways to apply for the complementary state health insurance or “Complémentaire santé solidaire (CSS)”.
Log into your ameli.fr account and select “Mes démarches > Faire une demande de Complémentaire santé solidaire” and follow the instructions.
Once the application has been registered, you will receive an e-mail confirmation in your Ameli account inbox.
Download and fill in the application form.
Attach the requested documents to the form.
You can submit it in person at the reception desk of the organisation that manages your state health insurance, known as the “caisse d’assurance maladie”, or send it by post. If you do not know your “caisse d’assurance maladie”, you can contact a “Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM)” near you to find out more. Contact details can be found on this site.
If you post your application, send it by registered post or “lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception”, which is the only way to have proof of receipt. Keep the receipt as proof of postage.
After receiving your application, your “caisse d’assurance maladie” has two months to process your application and inform you of its decision.
It will inform you of its decision by post.
Depending on the response you receive, here’s what you can do:
In France, there are many services that can support you, give you advice, and assist you with procedures and paperwork. Most of them are free of charge.
“Comede” is an organisation that helps immigrants and refugees to have access to health care.
The "PIMMS Médiation" are organisations that inform, guide or support in administrative procedures in many areas: access to public services, access to health care, applications for state financial assistance, tax declarations, declarations to “Pôle Emploi”, etc.
Social workers or “travailleurs sociaux” and “assistants sociaux” are professionals who support people in their administrative procedures and help them find solutions according to the difficulties they are faced with.
While the utmost care has gone into providing you with the most accurate and up to date information, this page is not intended to replace legal or professional advice. Laws and procedures change regularly so it is important to consult qualified professionals.
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