I have lived in France on and off and am back in Canada - temporarily. My friends tell me, however, that according to the new system, you're stuck with one family doctor and second opinions from other doctors are not subsidized. Is that a hard and fast rule or are extenuating circumstances/special cases ever accepted?

I personally don't know, but I really shudder at the thought of not being able to seek a second opinion.

Really? I am not aware of such law, and I wonder why it would need to be a "law" in the first place...isn't that to your discretion?

Every person now has to choose a "medecin traitant". This system was put in place to prevent all the fraud that was happening within France's medical system. An added benefit is that people now need a doctor's note to see a specialist, stopping people from calling a specialist for the smallest reason (that their own doctor could treat), and thus freeing up more appointments for those who need them.

And you are not forbidden from consulting a second doctor, you just won't be reimbursed for it. Which in my opinion is really not that big of a deal, since a doctor's visit only costs 20€.

You are always allowed to get a second opinion and depending on your healkth insurance you can do this without a problem. However it is not always fully paid for thats all.
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Mazda MPV picture (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Mazda_MPV)

Ah ok, well that is an interesting concept; I wasn't aware of any fraudulent activities that existent within that said department :\ .

ha! i can't even think of a gov department that doesn't have problems with fraudulent activities!

Heh, I guess I'm just too nice of a person :)

Or maybe I just didn't think that fraud in the health department was so high...

Every person now has to choose a "medecin traitant". This system was put in place to prevent all the fraud that was happening within France's medical system. An added benefit is that people now need a doctor's note to see a specialist, stopping people from calling a specialist for the smallest reason (that their own doctor could treat), and thus freeing up more appointments for those who need them.

And you are not forbidden from consulting a second doctor, you just won't be reimbursed for it. Which in my opinion is really not that big of a deal, since a doctor's visit only costs 20€.


20 Euros is perhaps affordable by American standards since medical treatments there can cost more, however, that's over $30.00 Canadian. A second opinion saved me from getting dangerous eye surgery, so I value my right to see other doctors without paying extra. (We have medical insurance in Quebec, so I can see four doctors for the same thing, if need be).

I think with my current health insurance we're afforded one second opinion, but I've only utilized that once because I didn't want to insult my doctor. :o

And for the records did the second opinion really differ from your current doctor, or was it the same?

In general the standard of medical care in Europe overall is really high and you will realise that the need for a second opinion is hardly ever the case.
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VN900 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Kawasaki_VN900)

It sounds like this system isn't similar to health insurance in the United States, where many people don't have insurance and can't afford health care at all.

In most counttries in Europe health insurance is imperative for everone and you will even get money toweards it from the government if you cant afford it. America is backwards when it come sto many things like these thanks to a certain mr bush.
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Ford Excursion history (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_Excursion)

The French system is nothing like the American system where 50% of people cannot afford Health Insurance and those are the working poor not the Welfare recipients. Children here are not allowed to be ill without medical coverage unlike the USA where people can lose al they own to pay for treatment. The contributions here are much more affordable. To the extent that the monthly charge we paid to Kaiser represented the yearly charge that our Insurance Agent paid.
In France they do not refuse to cover you if you have a pre-existing illness, and anyone with a catastrophic illness is fully covered with no co-payment. A friend of ours needed chemotherapy and a taxi was sent to take him to treatment on a regular basis which was fully covered.
The World Health Authority places France first. With the best Health care system in the World, and that is good enough for me.
Much as I dislike GW he can't be completely held responsible for the current state of Helath care in the States. He can beheld responsible for the elderly and chronically ill not being allowed to get needed medication at prices they can afford.

I had no idea about this until a few hours ago. I got a letter from RSI saying "Please tell us who your doctor is" and I went, 'huh'?

I had no idea. It's hard enough to choose a doctor, but to be stuck with them is a bit scary. I really wanted to find one that spoke English well. (You know, just because when I'm delirious and ill the last thing I'll expect to be doing naturally is speaking French).

Ah well, 'tis the life we chose. :)

I had no idea about this until a few hours ago. I got a letter from RSI saying "Please tell us who your doctor is" and I went, 'huh'?

I had no idea. It's hard enough to choose a doctor, but to be stuck with them is a bit scary. I really wanted to find one that spoke English well. (You know, just because when I'm delirious and ill the last thing I'll expect to be doing naturally is speaking French).

Ah well, 'tis the life we chose. :)
You're not "stuck with them" in the slightest, if you choose one and decide you don't like him/her, all you have to do is send a new form in to social security declaring your new chosen doctor. Very easy and you can do it as often as you like.