French healthcare costs and anecdotes...

As a brief intro for newcomers, we left Los Angeles at the end of 2004 and relocated in early 2005 to a small village in the South of France, as once told in the Lupin Exodus diaries. We have a blog with photos, etc. and wrote a book, OVER HERE: AN AMERICAN EXPAT IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, on the subject.

Recently, the medical professionals in France have not been happy campers. They feel that they have not been getting paid high enough rates, which are price-controlled by the Government, for various procedures, and there have been various protests.

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There is all kinds of discussion of the best way to keep everyone happy and yet not have to scrimp on patient care, etc. A universal problem it seems.

However, what we found interesting was a chart that appeared in our local rag, La Depeche du Midi, showing the fees for the most frequently done medical procedures.

I’m going to put the prices in Euros, without taking into account the current abysmal state of the U.S. dollar, because I believe that on a purchasing power basis, we have to think of a 1-to-1 parity for this type of thing.

Cataract surgery: 271.70€
Glaucoma surgery: 83.60€
Pace Maker implantation: 271.71€
Coronary bypass (this is the most expensive one) 1388.41€
Total hip and knee replacement: 459.60€ and 540.66€ respectively
MRI of spine and skull: 160.60€ to 239.79€

There are more prices here in French, on the La Depeche site (scroll down to "Tarifs des actes les plus frequents"), but I thought this would give you an idea.

I can understand why hospitals and doctors think they don’t get paid enough, but I’m thrilled at the prices as a patient who hopes never to need any of these things, but still.

There are more personal anecdotes about doctors making house calls, medical emergencies, etc. on the blog itself if you're interested, including an update on Irene's (our 84-year-old Mom who joined us last November, chronicled in Mom is moving to France diaries) situation.

•  pour le pourboire :-)

  They are, in fact, increasing the rates, but by 1% or so, except on some elective procedures such as abortion (+ 20%) but it still is extremely reasonable.

  Irene might need to spend a day in the hospital for a bit of heart tinkering (something to do with electricity; sounds like Frankenstein) but we're talking about 300€.

  by Lupin on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:18:40 AM PDT

  •  J'aime bien La France!

    Gonna check out your book.

    Let's all move to France!

    by highprincipleswork on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:28:15 AM PDT

    •  thank you kind person!

      We had the advantage of being both dual nationals.

      by Lupin on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:30:00 AM PDT

      •  Si on n'est pas français ?

        What are one's chances if one isn't French, and what would it cost to move there (apart from $15 per hour to hire you as a buyer's agent (^_^) )? I'm working on a Plan B if St. McCain gets elected, and Montréal is one option I'm considering, but l'Héxagone is also quite appealing. But like the old song says, I'm a man of means by no means.

        Merci d'avance

        by dconrad on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 03:17:45 PM PDT

        •  First you need a long-term visa...

          ...I wrote about getting it in this diary.

          by Lupin on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 11:32:30 PM PDT

  •  Neat!

    I'll be reading all your diaries now, Lupin.  Expat experiences fascinate me.

    Seems to me the French should get into the medical tourism business, if they aren't already doing that.  They could quadruple those procedure rates for Americans and it would be a steal for us and boon for the docs and could offset the lower rates they charge their countrypeeps.

    by HobbyWizard on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:30:21 AM PDT

  •  As an ex-pat in Upper Provence,

    I can say how grateful I am for the affordable and decent health care we receive here. I feel that the taxes I pay are well worth it.

    And as an American ex-pat in France, I also would like to say how sad I am that there is no feasible way for us to move back (should we ever want to)... because we could never afford the health care there (assuming we'd even be able to qualify for any sort of U.S. health care).

    Merci Lupin, à bientôt je l'espère!

    by mofembot on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:42:52 AM PDT

  •  C'est extra

    I love to read diaries about the sane health care in other countries. It makes me optimistic that there's hope for us. Thanks, Lupin.

    by dconrad on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 03:19:30 PM PDT

•  My GP gets 21€ for a consultation.

  Allergist 55€
  Dentist 68€

  Now, the two specialists are charging above the government set rates, so my supplementary insurance picks up the difference, with no deductible.

  The last year that I worked, I paid €2800 in payroll taxes for my basic national health, and €2300 for supplementary insurance for a family of 5.

  Now that I'm retired, I don't pay for national health, just the supplemental.

  by unclejohn on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:35:03 AM PDT

•  Great diaries...my M-in-law lives in Montpellier

  as an expat for the last thirty years! She is now frail but gets tremendous help from the French system, including someone to cook meals and doctor's house calls. All this to keep her functioning in her own home.

  Anyway, I have enjoyed your diaries and websites. What a beautiful place you live. Hope you are surviving the drop of the dollar! ANother fallout from Bush's economic plan.

  by IndySteve on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 11:04:17 AM PDT

  •  The collapse of the US$...

    ...is hurting us, and even more so our retired Mom who has no other income than her $$ SS benefits and $$ pension. That combined with the general (worldwide) increase in prices is making things tough. Fortunately, we have very low "fixed" costs (no mortgage, little driving, low insurance costs, etc.) so that helps.

    by Lupin on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 11:30:36 PM PDT

•  Our most famous

  health care diarist paid $2,800 for an MRI in New York City.

  IRM de la colonne et du crâne : entre 160,60 et 239,79€

  In France, the cost would have been between $240 and $360.

  by SingleVoter on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 11:18:16 AM PDT

•   A friend of mine

  had a partial, not full, hip replacement surgery about 10 years ago and said it cost in the neighborhood of $25,000. And that was not in a major big-city hospital, but a good regional one.

  by Mnemosyne on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 04:52:30 PM PDT