Support for people suffering from cancer

Cancer falls in the category of recognised long-term illnesses (Affection longue durée, ALD), which receive 100% coverage from Assurance Maladie for all medical costs, including extended coverage for related, non-medical costs. 

As with other ALDs, patients benefit from the tiers payant system, in which the state covers any advance payments for medication, medical procedures and any other related services that patients might receive.

If you suffer from an ALD, your doctor must fill out a protocole de soins form and submit it to Assurance Maladie on your behalf. This will make official your registration as an ALD state beneficiary with the Cpam.

It may take up to 15 days for the Cpam to process this request, and once this has been approved, you need to update your carte Vitale. To do this you insert it into in a machine available in every pharmacy. In case of an emergency, this can be speeded up and you can receive a provisional ALD status which – depending on the long-term ailment – must usually be renewed on a regular basis.

As part of the ALD coverage, all hospital expenses are typically fully covered at a rate of 100% by Assurance Maladie. However, patients with an ALD are still advised to take out a private insurance policy with a mutuelle to cover any outstanding non-medical hospital costs such as a single room, which they may otherwise have to pay out-of-pocket. 

Such expenses are called a reste à charge and they relate to optional services. Your mutuelle may cover the full or a partial amount of this reste à charge.

If treatment for an ALD requires travel, for example, from your home to hospital and back, doctors are able to prescribe transport services, and these will be reimbursed by the Assurance Maladie. This applies to all medical appointments, check-ups, follow-ups, etc. 

Hospital transport costs for patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy are normally covered under hospitalisation costs; prescribing doctors are able to submit the appropriate form to put this in place.

Cancer patients are also eligible to receive home care and home nursing care under Assurance Maladie coverage, as well as the free rental of medical equipment that might be necessary. Personal assistance may be partially or fully reimbursed, if a medical prescription requires this.

Most hospitals are able to connect cancer patients with a social worker who is able to explain all of the available support programmes in place to help patients to manage their affairs while under treatment – financial, administrative, family organisation, personal protection, continued access to care, rehabilitation, etc. In addition to hospitals, the caisse d’allocations familiales (Caf, family allowance fund), the local centre communal d’action sociale (CCAS) or a local branch of the Ligue contre le cancer, is able to refer patients to social workers and various existing support programmes.

It is possible for an immediate family member of a patient who has cancer to take a one-off renewable three-month leave of absence to care for their loved one, on a compassionate care basis. Salaried carers on a leave of absence do not receive their salary, but are entitled to a daily allowance (aide journalière pour proches aidants) paid by social security. More information on this is available via the Caf family benefits organisation.