Patient information on costs and coverage of healthcare costs

Verified 03 July 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

When you go to a medical appointment, you have a right to be informed free of charge on fees (consultations and medical procedures). This right also covers the payment of health care costs. This obligation applies to health professionals and to health facilities (hospitals or clinics). We explain the rules according to whether you consult a professional or within an establishment.

Professional

This obligation is necessary in particular to the following health professionals:

  • Doctors
  • Dental surgeons
  • Midwives
  • Nurses
  • Physiotherapists and pedicure-podiatrists
  • Occupational therapists, psychomotor therapists
  • Speech therapists, speech therapists
  • Medical Electroradiology Manipulators
  • Audioprosthetists, opticians, prosthetists and orthotists
  • Dieticians.

This obligation to provide information concerns the activities of prevention, of diagnosis and healing.

As soon as you see a health professional, he will tell you the following amounts:

  • Consultation rates, possibly with the amount of overruns of fees
  • Amount of the procedures he will perform for you (blood tests, dental implant placement, home care, glasses...).)

It informs you of the modalities of support by your health insurance organization.

FYI  

A doctor must respond to any request for prior information and explanations about his fees or the cost of treatment.

The healthcare professional provides this information per view in the waiting room.

In the event of excess fees, a written information must be given to you if the amount of the fees charged is equal to or greater than €70.

FYI  

If you have the complementary health solidarity, you may not be charged extra fees. However, you still have to pay extra fees in case of special request (examples: consultations outside of normal hours or unjustified home visits).

The practitioner must also clearly indicate whether he is practicing sector 1 or sector 2.

No particular method of payment (credit card, cash, etc.) can be imposed on you.

Compliance with the obligation to provide information on costs and cover healthcare costs is monitored by the DGCCRF: titleContent.

In the event of a dispute, seize the DGCCRF.

Establishment

The provision of this information concerns both public and private health institutions.

Public health facilities

  • University Regional Hospital Centers (CHRU)
  • Hospital centers (CH)
  • Specialized psychiatric hospitals
  • Army Training Hospitals (HIA)

Private health facilities

These are in particular, the following establishments:

  • Non-profit private health facilities (non-profit organizations)
  • Cancer Centers
  • For-profit institutions (clinics).

For any treatment carried out by a health institution (public or private), you receive, at the time of your discharge, a document informing you of the cost of all benefits received.

This document specifies the following:

  • Share supported by the Health Insurance
  • Remaining share that you have to pay (which can be supported by your mutual).

FYI  

Care provided in public health facilities cannot be subject to fee overruns.

The information is delivered in the following ways:

  • Display in waiting rooms
  • Communication websites to the public.

Please note

The businesses of teleconsultation deliver information by posting on websites. This information is also sent to you before the teleconsultation.

No particular method of payment (credit card, cash, etc.) can be imposed on patients.

In the event of a dispute, you can inform yourself of your rights DGCCRF.

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