The French healthcare system is made up of basic medical insurance (often called “sécurité sociale”), which is obligatory, and a complementary health insurance (often called a “mutuelle”), which is optional. To receive medical treatment you have to “cotiser”, i.e pay the costs of joining a healthcare system that will reimburse your expenses. There are different medical bodies depending on your personal and professional situation. The first step is to find out the correct body for your particular status.
