Have you ever forgotten your ‘carte vitale’ at a doctor’s appointment in France? Good news – it is now possible to get medical fees reimbursed directly through the Ameli app.
People in France can now submit paper medical reimbursement forms to their health insurance provider directly through the Ameli app, making it easier to claim back money after a doctor’s appointment.
The new online service is designed for situations where you were unable to use your carte Vitale during a consultation, or if your doctor does not electronically transmit the claim to the health insurance system.
Instead of sending the paper form (feuille de soins) by post to your local health insurance office, you can now photograph it and submit it through the Compte ameli smartphone app.
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There are a few restrictions to keep in mind.
The service can only be used for paper forms relating to a consultation with a GP or specialist outside a healthcare facility, such as a hospital. The amount shown on the form must also be no more than €100.
There is also a limit on how many claims you can submit. You can make a maximum of five reimbursement requests within a 30-day period, including requests made for dependants such as children.
How does it work?
First, open the Compte ameli app on your smartphone (available for Android and iPhone users) and log into your personal account.
Go to “Mes démarches” and then select “Feuille de soins – médecin”.
You will then be asked to:
upload a photo or PDF of your paper feuille de soins;
specify who received the treatment;
identify your doctor using the nine-digit number shown on the form;
enter the amount charged;
certify the information provided and submit your request.
The photo can either be taken directly through the app, selected from your phone’s photo gallery or uploaded as a PDF.
You will then receive a message in your Ameli account inbox confirming that your reimbursement request has been successfully submitted.
The document must be an actual feuille de soins issued by a doctor. Other documents will not be accepted through the service and will instead have to be sent by post to your CPAM.
The image also needs to be clear. If the app cannot read the document, you will be asked to upload another photo. You are allowed four attempts.
Once you have submitted a paper form through the app, you do not need to send the original by post.
However, you should keep the paper form for 27 months, according to the French health insurance system.
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