The topic has been the subject of a media battle between the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, who wants to reduce its scope, and the Minister of Health, Geneviève Darrieussecq, who does not want to “touch” it.
Michel Barnier has finally decided. In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche published on October 20, the Prime Minister announced that he wanted to maintain state healthcare assistance (AME), while calling for “expenditure control”. “It is important to ensure that the AME is never distracted from its objective of becoming a public health tool,” says the head of government.
This week the executive had already announced the freezing of AME credits, for an amount of 1.2 billion euros, after having initially planned to increase them in the 2025 budget. Cost for the State, conditions of disbursement… Here’s what you must know this system which guarantees coverage of medical care to foreigners in an irregular situation.
State Medical Aid is a system created in 2000 by Lionel Jospin’s government. Granted for one year following examination of the practice by the CPAM, it allows 100% coverage of medical and hospital care, within the limit of the Social Security reimbursement rates.
- What are the conditions for touching it?
To be eligible for state healthcare, a person in an irregular situation in France must be able to demonstrate that they have resided continuously on the national territory for at least three months. Furthermore, the conditions relating to resources are also established, depending on the composition of the family unit.
For a single person in metropolitan France, it is necessary to demonstrate that his income does not exceed 10,166 euros in the last twelve months. For a family of three people it will be 18,298 euros. Note that the ceilings are slightly higher in the overseas departments and that the AME is not applicable in Mayotte. Minors benefit from AME without conditions.
- What treatments are covered?
Medical and hospital treatments are covered 100%. But if the taxes are exceeded, the refund will only be for the Social Security portion. For many non-urgent and scheduled treatments, you must have been an AME recipient for nine months to be eligible for reimbursement. This is the case, for example, of rhinoplasties or knee prostheses. In 2022, second the Evin-Stefanini report of December 2023obstetric care was the most practiced through AME (15% of expenses), ahead of those related to the digestive system (7%).
- How much does it cost the state?
1.2 billion euros in 2024. Or 0.5% of healthcare spending. That is 0.1% of total state spending, evaluated in the 2025 Budget to 848 billion euros. Its budget has doubled since the early 2010s, going from 500 million to more than a billion euros. The number of beneficiaries also doubled over the period. Today there are 466,000.
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