Medecine charges

I have a fairly decent Mutuelle that I pay about €47 per month for. However recently I’ve been to the doctor’s for relatively straightforward ailments (food poisoning, chest infection) and each time he’s prescribed me medecine that I’ve had to pay 2-3 euros for as it’s not covered by the Mutuelle. At the same time the mutuelle has some pretty decent benefits such as reimbursing 1 pair of orthopedic insoles per year.

It seems illogical that it should offer such benefits but not reimburse medicines for straightforward ailments. Am I doing something wrong?

Were they things that come u der the médecin douce category that are not (or minimally) reimbursed by social security? And if your mutuelle doesn’t cover you for medecin douce then won’t get anything back.

I have a cough syrup that I pay for as my choice to get that one (I like the taste) and not something that is reimbursed.

Or equally super expensive stuff that exceeds your multiplier.

If you look on your Ameli account it is usually clear.

How do i know / can i find out whether or not a medecine is classed as ‘douce’?

On your Ameli account all your payments will be listed, and against each item it will give the percentage reimbursement (from 0% to 100%). It’s a long time sinceI had a mutuelle but I seem to remember they didn’t reimburse things that were at a15% level, or douce stuff like homeopathy.

Also, if you look on the back of your prescription there should be your facture which gives the cost of each item and reimbursement.

If you have the name of the drug you can also check it out here

You don’t bother with a mutually Jane? I’d be worried if we didn’t have one but in reality we get very little back from it.

We have a hospital only policy - just in case. That’s where the big bills can be. For the rest we just pay the mutuelle part. Now OH is retired we don’t pay cotisations any more, so we have that available for medical costs. Fingers crossed, but so far that has been far less than a full mutuelle.

The medecine I has was chemical based rather than plant based so Im surprised it would come under that. Also how can one find out in advance other than just ask the chemist?

The link I gave above allows you to search for any medicine.

The other thing to be aware of is that for every medical act or drug their is a forfait or franchise to pay. And there is an honoraria to the pharmacy of around €1.02 per item.

Have you looked at what the pharmacy printed on the back of the prescription, or in your online Ameli account?