USA
The American healthcare system is very different from what you may know in France. Public coverage of illness and medical care is very limited. If you want good care, the bill can be very high, so you need to be well covered by private health insurance.
Cost of an operation in the United States
$5,000 for a CT scan
+
$10,000 for hospitalisation
+
$1,500 of laboratory tests
+
$700 of pharmacy costs
=
TOTAL
$ 17 200
The healthcare system in the United States
In the USA, there is medical cover for the poorest, called Medicaid, and for older people, called Medicare. Outside these two systems, US residents must take out private insurance to cover their medical care.
In 2014, Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PPACA) came into force, requiring all US residents to take out approved private insurance or pay a tax penalty. Following major efforts by President Trump to change this law, however, the situation evolved.
In December 2017, the US tax reform act, sought by the new administration and passed by the Senate, ended the individual health insurance mandate by removing the tax penalty from 2019 (collected in 2020).
Americans, and expats in the USA, are therefore no longer required to take out an approved US policy. This gives them access to plans that are far cheaper, with broader cover and — crucially — international scope. These policies are open to all expats residing in the United States, whether French or of another nationality.
Useful information
The United States has tightened its border controls, and entering the country requires meeting a number of criteria and formalities. To be sure of meeting all of them, we invite you to consult the dedicated official French government page: FORMALITIES FOR TRAVELLING TO THE USA.
Once you are there, should you run into difficulty, you have the emergency numbers below. You can also contact the embassy in the United States. And of course, for any question relating to your health cover and your reimbursements, you can contact us.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
EMBASSY
VACCINATIONS
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