Attending Doctor in France

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Attending Doctor in France

Médecin Traitant or Attending Medical Practitioner

A new system introduced to be effective from 1 July 2005 requires that every person of 16 years and over, living in France and benefiting from social security must nominate a medical doctor to be their attending medical practitioner (médecin traitant). 

The attending practitioner or primary care physician, chosen by you, will be responsible for your direct care and for all referrals to other medical practitioners and specialists.

While it is not obligatory to have a médecin traitant, all medical consultations and treatments you receive that have not been referred by your médecin traitant will be reimbursed by social security at a very much reduced rate.

Responsibility of the attending practitioner

The attending practitioner is the doctor you visit first for any medical issue. They are responsible for maintaining your medical file of visits, diagnoses and examinations. They will refer you to other care if necessary and collect and keep the information and results of consultations, and may be required to coordinate medical follow-up.

All medical visits made via your attending practitioner will be reimbursed at the standard rate of 70 % + (depending on the situation).

Choosing an attending practitioner

Any doctor can become your attending practitioner provided they agree to this role. While it is recommended that you nominate a general practitioner (généraliste) this isn't obligatory. They can be a general practitioner or specialist, in private practice or a hospital or clinic and need not be geographically close to you. The only stipulation being that you name one person, not an entire group practice (cabinet de groupe). 

Once your doctor has agreed you will need to jointly fill in the Cerfa form No 12485*01 Déclaration de Choix du médecin traitant (declaration of choice the attending practitioner ) which they will have to sign and stamp. You must submit this form to your Caisse d'Assurance Maladie (CPAM) office.

Even if you already have a family doctor or make regular visits to a doctor or specialist for a chronic ailment you must still complete and submit the Déclaration de Choix du médecin traitant form.

A family is not obliged to nominate the same doctor. Any person of 16 years and over may approach the doctor of their choice however, the declaration by people under 18 years (16 and 17 year olds) must be signed by a parent or guardian.

If you miss the 1 July 2005 deadline, simply fill in the form with your doctor on the first opportunity following. The only penalty for failure to comply is that you may forfeit benefits and reimbursements.

Changing your attending practitioner

You may change your médecin traitant with no penalty and no questions asked. Simply complete a new Déclaration de Choix du médecin traitant form with the new doctor and submit it to your CPAM office. The new declaration will cancel the preceding choice.

No-Penalty Exemptions

• It is not necessary to get a referral for visits to ophthalmologist or dental or gynaecological visits
• If your medecin traitant is away, you can consult a substitute appointed by them
• If you are on holiday or away on business, or in the event of an emergency, you are excused from getting a referral and you will be reimbursed on the standard rate
• If you are following a sequence of treatment/consultation with a specialist, each visit need not be preceded by a visit to your attending doctor
• Referrals for visits to specialists are not required for under 16s

You are not obliged to go to the specialist referred by your médecin traitant and your médecin traitant cannot prohibit you from seeing anyone you choose. However, you risk not receiving complete re-imbursement. 

It is recommended you choose your médecin traitant taking into account the practical considerations:

• that you trust their judgment 
• that making visits to them will be easy and convenient

Further information 

• Amelie: l'Assurance maladie en Ligne (in French)
• Information on the Primary Care Physician from Amelie: Click here (in French)
• To find your local CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie) office, select your département from the drop down menu on the right: Amelie
• The form Déclaration de choix du médecin traitant is available for download: Click here (PDF in French)