If you’re going to study or work abroad, your healthcare rights are not the same as if you were just traveling. If you work abroad or study outside France for more than a year, you are no longer eligible for French social security. So how can you benefit from compensation for your medical treatment? We take a look at the possibilities for health coverage abroad as a student or worker.
Studying abroad: health cover options
As a student, your health cover options vary according to your age and whether you are in a member country of the European Union or outside.For students under 20
Students under the age of 20 may, under certain conditions, be covered by their parents’ health insurance fund. More specifically, there are 3 conditions to be met:- return to France at least once during the academic year,
- attend an educational establishment preparing for an official diploma,
- and provide a certificate of attendance.
Applying for an EHIC when studying in a European country
First and foremost, as a student or worker in an EU member country, you are no longer affiliated to the French system, but depend on the local social security system. So, before you leave, don’t forget to find out what the local system is, what you need to do to join it, and what you need to do to contact your local health insurance office. If you are staying in an EU or EEA (European Economic Area) member country, or in Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland, you can apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC is free of charge. It certifies your social security entitlements. To apply, simply contact your Caisse d’Assurance Maladie by telephone, or online via your Ameli account. If necessary, simply present the card to your healthcare contact (it acts as a certificate of insurance). Whether or not you have to pay in advance depends on your country and the healthcare system in place. The EHIC cannot be used with private-sector healthcare professionals.Outside the EU: focus on CFE and other health cover options
For a stay outside the EU, find out beforehand whether France has signed an agreement with the destination country. If so, you can benefit from coverage and reimbursements in France, on presentation of invoices and proof of payment. In all cases, however, you’ll need to make an advance payment (and depending on the country, this can be a hefty bill). If the country has not signed an agreement with France, we recommend that you either join the CFE (Caisse des Français à l’étranger), or find out how to benefit from the local student social security system, or take out supplementary private health cover. The CFE is open to all. It enables you to benefit from health cover and reimbursements for your healthcare, whatever your country of destination. Please note, however, that it does not cover medical repatriation, and reimbursements are based on French healthcare rates. For countries where health costs are higher, it’s up to you, the student, to make up the difference. The only way to benefit from complete coverage and extended guarantees is to take out complementary private health insurance. This international health insurance covers medical expenses (in the event of hospitalization or medical consultation), civil liability and medical repatriation. Finally, don’t forget to find out about the social protection schemes in place in your country for foreign students.What are the options when working abroad?
As we said earlier, when you move abroad, you are no longer eligible for French health insurance. However, other options exist to cover your healthcare needs.CFE, CEAM, health cover options as a French national
For expatriation to an EU member country, you can also apply for an EHIC from your insurance office. The card is nominative, but covers your entire family (spouse and/or children). As a reminder, the EHIC allows you to be reimbursed for healthcare costs in accordance with the legislation and formalities in force in your destination country. As mentioned above, if you’re expatriating to an EU member country, you’ll be covered by the local social security system. The CFE, for Caisse des Français à l’étranger, offers you health cover and reimbursements at the same level as in France. Depending on your country of destination, you may have to pay the remainder out of pocket. Finally, some countries have signed an agreement with France enabling you to benefit from reimbursements once you return to France, on presentation of invoices and proof of payment.Taking out international health insurance
To complement the various options mentioned above, we recommend that you take out additional international health insurance. This will enable you to benefit from comprehensive coverage and extended guarantees. There are a number of advantageous private insurance plans available for expatriates. We recommend that you consult our website Santexpat.fr to find out more and to find the right insurance for your situation. Our partner AssurTravel has developed international health insurance tailored to the specific needs of students.Choosing the right solution
Before you leave, check the health status of the country, the health system in place and whether you can join it. You should also check whether the French government will cover your healthcare costs (all the information you need is available on the website of the Centre des Liaisons Européennes et Internationales de Sécurité Sociale). Depending on your options, you can opt for the EHIC, the CFE, the local protection system or, lastly, international health insurance. To choose the most appropriate complementary insurance, and benefit from the best care, remember to check :- the scope of cover, e.g. whether repatriation or third-party liability is covered
- the level of compensation ceilings
- advance payments and reimbursement deadlines
