New government: what is this state medical aid that Michel Barnier plans to eliminate to save money?

Could State Medical Aid (AME) for foreigners in France end?? Prime Minister Michel Barnier returned, without taboo, to this question during the France 2 television news on Sunday, September 22.

“There will be no ideology, assured, facing the camera, Michel Barnier, the Prime Minister. There will be no sectarianism. There will be practical measures like all our neighbors take. And we will try to take them in good understanding with them”. This is not the first time that the elimination of State Medical Aid has been discussed in the political sphere. Indeed, during the vote on the immigration bill in 2023, senators took advantage of the debates, during the work on article 3 of the immigration law, to toughen up the text presented by the former Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. They had thus acted on the suppression of AME replaced by emergency medical aid (AMU) which would only concern a few serious pathologies or acute pain.

What is this emergency medical aid ?

State medical aid (AME) is a system that allows foreigners in an irregular situation to benefit from access to care (Sources LégiFrance). It is awarded subject to conditions of residence and resources. To obtain it, you must have resided in France for more than three months, you must not have had a residence permit for more than three months, you must receive resources that do not exceed certain ceilings. These ceilings are different if you live in mainland France or in the overseas territories: Guadeloupe Guyana Martinique Mayotte Reunion. The resources taken into account are those of the last 12 months. Minor children benefit immediately from AME even if they do not meet the condition of more than 3 months in France.

What coverage of care ?

AME entitles the child to 100% coverage of medical and hospital care up to the limit of social security rates. Rates on the basis of which the calculation is made for the reimbursement of a medical act by Health Insurance. Also called liability rate. Beneficiaries do not have to advance the costs. Their dependents (person with whom they live as a couple (marriage, civil partnership or cohabitation (common-law union), children under 16, or up to 20 if they are continuing their studies) can also benefit from AME.

The following medical expenses are not covered: technical procedure, examination, medication and product necessary for the performance of medically assisted procreation, medication with low medical service reimbursed at 15% and spa treatments. However, for minors, medical expenses remain covered at 100% in all cases.