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Duration: Issue — 5–10 minutes
Cost: A part covered by the CPAM; the rest by you or mutual
On-site only
Who this guide is for
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- Any person to whom the doctor has given a prescription
- Families with children and people under long-term treatment
- Foreigners accustomed to buying certain medicines without a prescription
To be prepared in advance
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- Vital card
- Doctor's prescription
- Mutual card, if you have one
Step-by-step procedure
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- 1Go to any pharmacy with the prescription and the Vital Card. You are not linked to any specific pharmacy.
- 2The pharmacist gives you the drugs and applies the paid third party: the CPAM share is deducted immediately, so you pay less on the spot.
- 3If it offers you a generic, you can usually accept it: it costs less and it is refunded the same. If you are not sure, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
- 4Keep the prescription and ticket. They serve if there is a question about reimbursement.
- 5If the treatment lasts for a long time, ask the doctor if there is an ALD (long-term condition). In this case, the Sickness Insurance can support 100 %.
Common mistakes
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- Buy non-prescription drugs thinking they'll be reimbursed. For non-prescription products, the CPAM does not refund anything.
- Refuse the credits for no reason. You pay more from your pocket for the same result.
- Do not renew the prescription for long-term treatment. The old one may no longer be sufficient and the pharmacy may refuse delivery.
Official sources
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Show sources in this section
Important remark
The information is provided for information purposes and does not replace a medical consultation. Vitalpes does not make any diagnosis or treatment. For any health problems, consult a doctor; in case of emergency, call the 15 (SAMU) or the 112.
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