Hello all,
This morning I tried to pay for blood tests for my husband and myself. The labo took payment for me but they said my husband has ’mutuelle carte blanche’ on his dossier and has nothing to pay. We both have the same mutuelle, for hospitalisation only, and having so far avoided such we’ve always paid for everything. Has there just been a data input error somewhere, or is it something else ?
Bizarre! Have you looked at your online account to see if he has been registered with an ALD for example? I think mutuelle carte blanche is one of the mutuelles that provides cover for people receivibg CSS? Is this even your mutuelle?
If not and his name’s not Emmanuel Macron (who prob doesn’t pay for anything) then there’s something a bit odd!
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Another example, to me, as to the bizarre and arcane way the FR have decided to run a health service. AMELIE, mutuelles, pay now - refund later, seek ye a dentist where one may be found …
I’m nor referring to the quality of medical attention …
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If you didn’t have exactly the same blood tests done, it could be that yours were not covered under the carte blanche scheme, ie if they were sent off to be analysed by a different lab. Maybe!
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This might help you to understand the carte blanche scheme:
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Thanks Cat, that’s helpful but it’s still a mystery. Surely you would know if you were a beneficiary of the scheme ?
It will normally state that you are somewhere on your mutuelle paperwork. Or on the card if you have one.
Largely not the case (apart from GPs and some specialists) - in my experience anyway. The only things I’ve paid for up-front have been GP visits, hospital beds if a single room plus specialist visits if they are private. I haven’t paid upfront for dentists, glasses or hearing aids (although I have paid what is left of the costs where it’s not fully covered by CPAM + the mutuelle), or hospital visits if a public hospital or nursing care at home or trips to the physio.
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I think it can only be an error. We’ve had the same level of mutuelle for 10 years and it’s the only time something has been free !
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Possibly an instance that illustrates my somewhat jocular-but-not comment. Post-code lotto?
I have never had any dealings with the FR med system where I have not had to pay 100% up front.
Just as I was about to choose a mute, having eliminated €35 p.m. vehicle ins, my monthlies for lekky went from €80 to €147 = Kybosh mute … The €190 energy cheque didn’t go far.
I had visits to 3 specialist depts/consultants in ‘21. Paid in full at the time, got some back thru’ AMELI. Am most of the way thru’ a cardio investigation. a.t.mo. Paid for the first instalments in full. Last round of tests at the end of this month + a RdV for the results. Ready with the debit card …
Very helpfully the cardio’s menu is pasted to the wall in the waiting room.
So far I’ve had a #1, #4, #6, #8. I’m due another #2, #8 I may also have had a #3 and/or #7. Cant’ recall.
As for the dentist, none of my neighbours have a local dentist 'cos there are none in Vire taking patients onto their lists. Back in '20/21 my landlady said it was the same situation in and around Torigny. It’s not exactly convenient to go to Valencia to the dentist but as long as it’s logistically viable I will continue. And being there is no hardship 
Well I have no idea what your set up is but we (French people and residents) do NOT pay 100 
upfront.
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I don’t have a mutuelle, but it is extremely rare that I have to pay the basic cost up front, just the part de mutuelle. And sometimes not even that as I am billed later.
Have you done a mise à jour of your carte vitale recently?
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As I said previously, I certainly don’t and I don’t know anyone else who does… (GP visits excepted)
Have you checked your Ameli site? Do you have a medecin traitant declared on your Ameli site? That makes a difference as to how much you pay / get reimbursed. But I agree with everyone else - wherever you go, first thing the secretary asks for is your carte vitale, which will cover the basic reimbursement. You may have to pay something on top of whatever the French State covers, but not 100%. I pay for a specialist ophthalmologist in Bordeaux who is above and beyond what the state will cover, but not his total fee.
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Do you have a carte vitale ?
I do have a C.V. @AngelaR will recall that I was sweating more on the arrival of my C.V. than I was my CdS. I remain very grateful for her calming words. 
As for my ‘set up’, I don’t know what that means. I don’t have a mute - for now, the budget for that was blown by the €67 p.m. hike in my kekky payments.
I can only repeat and report that I have paid the full charge for every medical event I’ve had. I’m told what to pay and I pay it. I am asked for my C.V. each time.
I just copied this from my AMELI personal details page
so it looks like I’m signed up OK, if that is what this note means.
Just now. The med trait is there, in B & W. I can see the ‘accounts’ page with all the payments and refunds …
When I go for the remaining cardio checks I expect to be asked to pay as per that price list I posted. Later, a credit will appear on my bank stat, Deus Voluit.
Seems like I am like the proud mother watching her son on parade with the rest of the new recruits. “Oh look! They’re all out of step except my little Harry!”
Health Insurance can be a minefield… hope all is sorted soon.
EDIT: I’ve just checked my Ameli account… and the first page is a letter , dated 7th July… advising me that now is the time to get one’s CVitale “up-to-date” (or it will be/might be refused/stop working)…
Pharmacies and all sorts of places can do this for me/us… so I’ll make sure to ask next time we drop-in…
Just worth mentioning to one and all… “now is the hour!!!”
… let’s all burst into song… as we wander to the pharmacy, clutching our Carte Vitales… 
.
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I think one is reminded once a year, roughly around the anniversary of first signing up or maybe another trigger.
I’m quite sure we did ask our Pharmacy to check the “mis à jour” a few weeks ago… but we’ll do it all again, just in case…
can’t be too careful…
Update, normality restored. Having refused to take payment on 5th July, the labo has now sent the bill we expected dated 4th July. So have duly paid as usual.
BTW is anyone using Mon Espace Santé ? I had forgotten all about it but for the first time I had an email saying a professionel de santé had put a document on there. It looks like it will be useful if they all use it, storing all your tests etc,in one place.