France - Doctors

When you see a doctor, you have to pay and to give him your 'vitale card'.
See: www.sesam-vitale.fr
The doctor transmits electronically the costs of the visit to the CPAM ("Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie") and you will be partially reimbursed into your bank account.
If you have the complementary insurance, called 'mutuelle', CPAM will send information to your 'mutuelle' and you will receive a receipt from the CPAM and from your 'mutuelle'.

If your doctor is not 'conventionné' (which means he cannot be reimbursed by the CPAM), he is free to set his own fees and they often exceed the rates defined by the social security.
Otherwise, the prices for seeing a doctor (conventionné) are fixed:
- 25 euros for a consultation with a general practitioner
- 40/45 euros to see a specialist