Conduct of a hospitalization and coverage by the Health Insurance

Verified 26 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You want to know the formalities of admission in case of hospitalization and know how she is support by the Health Insurance? There are procedures related to admission and exit formalities. The Health Insurance (Social Security) reimburses you part of the hospitalization costs under certain conditions. There are several devices to cover the costs remaining at your expense. We explain the rules to know.

Warning  

The rules concerning the hospital stay are different.

You can choose:

  • A public hospital
  • A private clinic with an agreement
  • Or a private clinic without a contract.

On prescription of your doctor, you can benefit in some cases from a hospitalization at home.

Warning  

If you choose a private clinic without a contract, the costs are higher: the rates applied are higher than the conventional rates.

To help you in choosing an establishment, you can:

The formalities vary depending on whether it is a scheduled entry or an emergency:

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Scheduled Input

If your admission to the hospital or clinic is planned in advance, i.e. scheduled (example: you have a specific date for an operation), it is done in the admissions department of the institution.

Documents to be submitted

You must submit the following documents:

If you benefit from it, you will also need proof of the rights to state medical aid (AME) or to the complementary health solidarity.

If you don't have these documents, you must submit one of the following documents:

  • Last pay slip (if you are an employee)
  • Or last certificate of payment of unemployment benefit if you are a jobseeker compensated by France Travail
  • Or a retirement or disability pension or permanent incapacity pension
  • Or the coverage issued by your social security organization, if you are a national of another country (outside the EU-EEA-Switzerland).

Please note

If you are an irregular foreigner and you cannot provide any of these documents, your health insurance fund may, under certain conditions, issue an emergency admission certificate to state medical aid (AME). This procedure will be done at your request or at the initiative of the health facility in which you are admitted.

Information that can be given

Medical information may be useful:

  • Examination results (examples: analyses, radios)
  • Health record
  • Blood group and rhesus map
  • Mail from the attending physician.

You must also indicate the people to keep informed of your health (family, relatives, trusted person...).

Once your file is registered, the admissions department will give you a situation or hospitalization report.

This bulletin serves as a notice ofwork stoppage.

You must send it in the 48 hours who follows your hospitalization at:

  • Your employer if you are an employee
  • France Work if you are a jobseeker
  • And, in any case, to your health insurance fund.

Indeed, this bulletin allows your health insurance fund to calculate and pay you daily allowances.

Please note

If your state of health does not allow you to meet this 48-hour deadline, the hospital takes the necessary steps.

Welcome booklet

A welcome booklet is given to anyone hospitalized.

It presents in particular the following points:

  • Establishment (organization, administrative formalities...)
  • Conditions under which complaints and complaints are examined
  • Conditions of visit and reception of relatives, rights and obligations of patients, procedures for deposits of money and value...
  • Activities, services and services of the establishment (social service schedule, provision of a library, religious practice area...)
  • Volunteer associations involved in the establishment.

The charter of the hospitalized person and an exit questionnaire are annexed thereto.

Emergency Entry

Documents to be submitted

As soon as your health allows, you or a loved one must present the necessary documents to the admissions office in particular :

In any case, if you are working, you must warn (or have warned) your employer.

Please note

Access to the public hospital service is guaranteed to the most deprived people. Persons who cannot prove that they are covered by the State's health insurance or medical aid are covered by public health establishments and private health establishments participating in the public hospital service for urgent care.

Welcome booklet

A welcome booklet is given to anyone hospitalized.

It presents in particular the following points:

  • Establishment (organization, administrative formalities...)
  • Conditions under which complaints and complaints are examined
  • Conditions of visit and reception of relatives, rights and obligations of patients, procedures for deposits of money and value...
  • Activities, services and services of the establishment (social service schedule, provision of a library, religious practice area...)
  • Volunteer associations involved in the establishment.

The charter of the hospitalized person and an exit questionnaire are annexed thereto.

They differ depending on whether you fall under the general scheme (CPAM: titleContent) or agricultural (MSA: titleContent) :

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General scheme

The hospital issues you a exit voucher when you leave the hospital.

To be reimbursed for hospitalization costs, you must send this document to your CPAM: titleContent as soon as possible.

Who shall I contact

Agricultural scheme

You must contact the MSA: titleContent.

Who shall I contact

Please note

The social service of your health insurance fund can meet you at your home to assess your needs and consider with you the appropriate assistance (household, technical, financial, housing adaptation...). Contact your pension and occupational health insurance fund (Carsat).

In a public hospital or a private clinic with an agreement, the Health Insurance covers the following costs:

  • Costs related to your hospitalization at 80% from conventional rate (except in special cases)
  • Part of the care performed before or after your hospitalization (consultation with an anesthetist for example). The rate of care varies according to the care provided.

Please note

Your health insurance company can take care of 20% which remain and certain surcharges or excess fees. Check with your health insurance company to find out if your contract provides for this.

In some situations, you can benefit from a full coverage by the Health Insurance (except sometimes the hospital package and supplements for personal comfort).

Support can also be comprehensive in particular if you are in any of the following situations:

The hospital package represents your financial contribution to the costs of accommodation and maintenance incurred by your hospitalization.

It is therefore not not covered by the Health Insurance.

In principle, it is due for each day of hospitalization, including the day of discharge.

The amount is as follows:

  • €20 per day in hospital or clinic
  • €15 per day in the psychiatric ward of a health facility.

However, you do not pay the daily rate if you are in particular in one of the following situations :

  • You are hospitalized during the last 4 months of pregnancy, for delivery and 12 days after delivery
  • Your baby is hospitalized within 30 days of birth
  • You are hospitalized for an illness or an occupational disease
  • You are in hospitalization at home
  • Your disabled child under the age of 20 is accommodated in a special or vocational education institution
  • You receive a military pension
  • You are the victim of an act of terrorism and are fully covered for treatment in connection with this event
  • You depend on local regime of Alsace-Moselle.

FYI  

Some facilities are not covered by this package (e.g. nursing homes, long-term care units).

If you have complementary health, individually or collective through your employerHowever, you may be reimbursed in part or in full for any remaining costs. Ask your health insurance provider.

FYI  

If you don't have complementary health care and your resources are insufficient to pay for hospitalization, you can ask:

  • Care as part of the health and social action of your CPAM: titleContent
  • Or a complementary health solidarity whether you are under CPAM or the MSA: titleContent.

Who shall I contact

It can be a supplement for a particular room, telephone, television...

These costs are at your expense.

However, if you have complementary health, individually or collective through your employerHowever, these costs may be reimbursed in part or in full. Ask your health insurance provider.

FYI  

If you don't have complementary health care and your resources are insufficient to pay for hospitalization, you can ask:

  • Care as part of the health and social action of your CPAM: titleContent
  • Or a complementary health solidarity whether you are under CPAM or the MSA: titleContent.

You must be informed of these fee overruns.

These costs are at your expense.

If you have complementary health, individually or collective through your employerHowever, you may be reimbursed in part or in full for any remaining costs. Ask your health insurance provider.

FYI  

If you don't have complementary health care and your resources are insufficient to pay for hospitalization, you can ask:

  • Care as part of the health and social action of your CPAM: titleContent
  • Or a complementary health solidarity whether you are under CPAM or the MSA: titleContent.

Who shall I contact

Who can help me?

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