Learn about Ameli, the French Online Health Service

Ameli is an online platform for the Assurance Maladie, France’s national health insurance system. The name Ameli is an acronym for ‘assurance maladie en ligne’, meaning ‘health insurance online’.

This Digital service makes it easier for users to update their accounts and speed up the application process. You can now easily submit supporting documents in just a few clicks, as they are linked to the carte vitale.

What is Ameli in France?

Assurance Maladie aims to provide easy access to healthcare services and systems in France.

Ameli has a comprehensive website you can access from any device with an internet connection. The website lets you manage all your health insurance needs, from checking your reimbursements to updating your personal information.

Creating an Ameli Account

To create an Ameli account, you must be registered with Assurance Maladie (or CPAM) and have a permanent Social Security number in France.  

You can only create your Ameli account with a permanent Social Security number, using the first 13 digits. If your Social Security number starts by 7 (male) or 8 (female) this means that you have a temporary Social Security number.

Staying Up to Date 

Provide Ameli with a current email address to receive automatic notifications, and keep it up to date. If the email address linked to the account is no longer valid, call 36 46 (free, plus the cost of a local call) for help from a health insurance adviser, who will guide you through the process.

Attestation de Droits

Make sure you can download your ‘Attestation de droits’, an important document that, with your Carte Vitale, confirms your rights.

If you can’t, you may need to visit your local CPAM to request it, which can be difficult and time-consuming, so it’s best to avoid that if possible.

Try the Ameli Health App.

The Ameli Account application is available on all smartphones and tablets and offers useful services free of charge. You can easily log in to your account using your Social Security number and personal code, or via biometric authentication.

With your Ameli account in the app or online, you can enjoy various benefits, such as tracking payments to your doctor or pharmacist and reporting the loss of your Carte Vitale. With the app, you can:

• order your Carte Vitale
• report the loss or theft of a Carte Vitale
• change and update your bank or postal details
• track your payments 24/7, anywhere and anytime
• apply for or renew your complementary health insurance
• apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• register your S1 form on arrival
• register the birth of a child

The Ameli app is available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Reimbursements: Submit your Forms

Using the Ameli app on your smartphone, you can submit a paper treatment form to L’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) if you don’t have your Carte Vitale or if the doctor didn’t send it electronically on your behalf.

This service covers appointments with a GP or specialist outside a healthcare facility, up to a maximum amount of €100. You can submit up to five reimbursement claims in 30 days, for yourself and your dependants, for example, for your kids.

How Do You Upload the Documents?

Log in to your Ameli account in the app, then open “My procedures” and “Feuille de Soins - médecins” (Treatment form). Then:

• Take a photo of the treatment form and upload it
• Enter the beneficiary’s details, the GP’s 9-digit number (shown on the form) and the fee amount
• Tick the certification boxes, then submit your claim.

A confirmation of receipt will be sent to your Ameli account inbox, so make sure you check it, especially as this is a new service and you may encounter a few issues in the early stages.

An Annual Statement to Monitor Costs

To better understand your care costs, the Health Insurance has modernised your annual benefits statement with a clearer, more readable graph, helping you see healthcare expenses throughout the year.

This new tool makes it easier to identify reimbursements and payments for your healthcare costs (including your children’s), as well as the total your Health Insurance covers annually.

You will find, grouped by categories, the benefits and payments concerning:

• hospital or clinic stays and treatments
• pharmacy
• consultations and medical procedures in town (general practitioners, specialists)
• paramedical care, laboratory tests, transportation
• daily allowances and maternity benefits

To access this new annual statement, log in to your Ameli account, then select “Frais de santé” (Healthcare costs) section and click on “Relevé Annuel” (Annual statement).

Healthcare Tips for Expats in France

Ameli is the online service for Assurance Maladie, and you must be registered before you can open an account. 

If you’re at the planning stage or have just arrived in France, you’ll first want to join the French Healthcare System (CPAM) and learn how to register with Ameli.

Additional Health Insurance & Top-up

More than 95% of French people have complementary health insurance called ‘mutuelle santé’ or ‘mutuelle’. This insurance complements the reimbursements provided by the public healthcare system, Assurance Maladie/CPAM.

The ‘mutuelle’ typically covers 100% of the expenses for most medical conditions, orthodontic treatments, optician appointments, glasses, and taxi journeys.

This matters because the public healthcare system does not cover most optical and dental costs. Similarly, for hospital stays, Assurance Maladie covers only a set amount, while most top-up schemes cover the remaining costs and the forfait hospitalier.

Personalised Insurance Plans

To learn about our various coverage options and costs, simply fill out the online insurance form. Our insurance experts in France will provide a personalised, detailed quote in English, typically the same day.