why i love the french health care system

My body has finally given into the French germs and I’m sick. I went down to Paris this weekend and drove to Le Mans with to friends to help celebrate Matt’s birthday. However he had been sick all week, I wasn’t feeling very well either, and so it was a pretty laid-back evening. We visited the cathedral of Le Mans and they had it lit up with special lights for Christmas. It was absolutely beautiful.  It was hard to get pictures but here are some. The scene changed every few minutes: stars and the constallations, stained glass, jamming angels, trees, and beautiful blue designs.

But the point of this post is the French medical system. Man do they have it figured out. I’m sure that there are some downsides to it, but so far, so good. Despite my problems (and my bad luck) with the MGEN, which is a special section of the social security for those in the education system, I am very impressed. The MGEN lost my file. Of course. That I sent at the beginning of October. So I redid the whole thing complete with an official translation of my birth certificate (lovingly paid for by one of my schools) and I turned it all in on Wednesday just in time to get sick on Saturday.

I go to the doctor today. Which is completely different from the US. So different. No appointments. I think you can make them if you want, but it doesn’t seem like anyone does. Each doctor has his own office wherever with a little waiting room. No receptionist. No nurse. Mine is just around the corner from my home. Each day there are certain hours that are open for consultation. So I go this morning and wait. There are 4 people ahead of me and we each wait our turn. No false hopes of being seen by a nurse or going into the exam room to wait. It is al upfront and honest. Ten people ahead of you?  You’ve got a wait. Two people? You know exactly how long you have to wait to see the doctor. No lies about 10:15 appointments when really you aren’t seen until noon. It really works well. In my opinion.

It is my turn, and I’ve waited about an hour, not too long in the scheme of doctor waiting times. I tell him that it’s my first time seeing a doctor in France and he tells me that he’s honored. Another thing about doctors in France: they are good looking men. I mean I’m sure that my family doctor back home was once a good looking man, back in the day, but all the doctors I’ve seen in France (this one and the one at my immigration appointment) are all youngish, attractive men. Maybe its because they aren’t over 60? Or even 50 for that matter. And the two French men that I know that are going to school to become doctors are also very good looking. Maybe it’s a requirement here?  That’s silly. But it’s just an observation I’ve made.

In and out of his office in less that 10 minutes. Struggled a little with the medical vocabulary and tried to explain to him my tendency to have ear infections and sinus infections due to my malfunctioning “you know those things that drain your sinuses and your ears” /estuation tubes. He checks everything out, looks in my ears and says it’s his first time in an American ear. I say that I’m honored.  Then he fills out my prescription, and a sheet for the MGEN so I can be reimbursed for my 22 Euro doctor’s visit. 22 ERUOS! Seriously. So cheap. At home I would pay about that much for the co-pay, AND with insurance! He only takes cash or check, so I run down to the ATM to get his money and come back to hand it to him. Simple as that. Then I’m off to the pharmacy. They ask for my “carte vitale”  (which is like your little magic card to health care here. You swipe it; anything you have to pay is taken out of your bank account. Then you are reimbursed. I think.) and I explain to them the problem with the MGEN but that I have a temporary number. The pharmacist makes a comment on how expensive it will be without it, that I will have to pay upfront. I ask if the MGEN reimburses me as well, and she says yes. But still. It will be expensive. Grand total of 31.74 Euros. For three different prescriptions. Antibiotic, nose-spray, cortisone. Oh, by the way I have a sinus infection. But about 10 Euros each. I explain to her that to me, an American, that is very cheap. Even with insurance in the states, I would have paid about that much. And if the MGEN never reimburses me…well that would be terrible. But not a huge loss. Had I been in the same situation in the States I would have been out a couple hundred dollars. And the best thing is that EVERYONE gets this.  Come on America. Take a hint. Really.

Doctors Appointment: 22 Euros

Prescriptions: 31,74 Euros

Not being robbed by your medical system: Priceless.