I moved to France in February fulfilling a long-held dream. After three months, I qualified for French health care.
This week I secured a physician and signed up for supplemental health insurance that covers what the French system does not. Cost? 94 euros/month (not quite $104) and one month free for each of the next three years. And it also covers 100% of dental costs, eyeglasses and hearing aids. It beats the $500 I was paying in the US between Medicare and Humana WITHOUT dental benefits.
I won’t know what the French government will charge until I file tax returns next year. Given their formula, I may pay nothing because Social Security income and pensions are not considered.
French health care has been ranked #1 in the world. It is efficient and reasonable. And contrary to some countries with socialized medicine, there are no long waits for appointments. I phoned one day and was in the next. My co-pay was 25 euros.
What the system here does is control the costs. There are no outlandish fees and salaries. Yes, French physicians make less money, but that is the compromise. Income can be supplemented with extra fees (hence the supplemental insurance). But they still make a good living. Incentives to cheat the system and make extraordinary salaries have been removed.
This is socialized medicine and it works removing inflated charges, excessive administration and marketing costs from hospitals and insurance companies.