# Bienvenue a la CPAM



## bhamham

I received this letter today. Am I home free to get my carte vitale? Is the next step ordering the carte vitale where everyone has problems/delays?

Do I just use my 'N° de sécurité sociale' that's provided to book a doctor's visit until I get my carte vitale? And, can I start looking for a mutuelle?

A really friendly touch to refer you to an English-speaking helpline if you have a problem (last para)


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## BackinFrance

Looks like a new online process. Try creating your Ameli account as per the instructions.

Is there a local doctor you are already using? If so, ask them whether they will agree to be your médecin traitant. If they say no, you will need to find a doctor who is willing

It used to be that they gave new expat members a temporary number, but that may no longer be the case. 

Was there an attestation with the letter? If not you should find one online when you log in. If your doctor won't bill CPAM using your attestation, you will need to pay the full amount and submit your feuille de soins to CPAM for reimbursement.

You need to submit your application for your Carte Vitale as soon as you can. It requires a photo and there should be an explanation on your personal Ameli page. I have no idea whether that can now be done online and it is not Ameli that creates them. 

Congratulations.


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## Lydi

You're almost there! You've got a provisional social security number and they will be sending your permanent number soon.


> Lorsque le SANDIA vous aura attribué un numéro de sécurité sociale définitif vous recevrez le formulaire nécessaire à l’édition de votre carte vitale.


When you receive your permanent number you'll get a form to fill in which will allow you to apply for your Carte Vitale.

edit: just seen BiF's post. According to the text I quoted above, bhamham hasn't got a permanent number yet


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## Nunthewiser

I have read somewhere that if the number starts with a 1 or 2 , it is permanent.


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## bhamham

Thank you both! No doctor yet but I think there's one or two who are taking new patients in my village.

Yes, there's a 'Mon Attestation de Droits a L'Assurance Maladie'
Very relieved - only 25 days from when I dropped my application off at the local CPAM office.


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## bhamham

Nunthewiser said:


> I have read somewhere that if the number starts with a 1 or 2 , it is permanent.


Yes, mine begins with a 1


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## Lydi

bhamham said:


> Yes, mine begins with a 1


That's good news then! A provisional number starts with a 7 or an 8.
I don't know why they wrote "lorsque le SANDIA vous aura attribué un numéro de sécu définitif..." when they'd already provided one 
Anyway, the main thing is - you're *in*! I hope things continue to go smoothly for you.


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## BackinFrance

I know absolutely nothing about provsionz numbers, so I'll happily keep my mouth shut in that regard.


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## Bevdeforges

The permanent sécu numbers start with a 1 if you are male, with a 2 if you are female. Next two digits are your year of birth, then month of birth and then the numeric code for the departement in which you were born (99 for anywhere outside of France). After that are six digits of "identifying number" and the final two digits are a validation code, otherwise known as "check digits." 

There are quite a few new innovations coming into play with the Ameli site just now, so just follow whatever instructions you have been given to proceed to requesting your Carte Vitale. Looks like you are well on your way!


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## bhamham

Bevdeforges said:


> The permanent sécu numbers start with a 1 if you are male, with a 2 if you are female. Next two digits are your year of birth, then month of birth and then the numeric code for the departement in which you were born (99 for anywhere outside of France). After that are six digits of "identifying number" and the final two digits are a validation code, otherwise known as "check digits."
> 
> There are quite a few new innovations coming into play with the Ameli site just now, so just follow whatever instructions you have been given to proceed to requesting your Carte Vitale. Looks like you are well on your way!


Thanks, Bev. My number fits your description exactly. Now to see if my private health insurance (Mondassur) will convert to a mutuelle. Still have seven months left before expiration.


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## colibri7

Hi there bhamham!
I was wondering if you have successfully created your ameli account? I finally received my CPAM letter with numéro de sécu (after 3.5 months of waiting, including four visits to their office, two phone calls, and lots of nonsense) and the letter implies I can easily apply for my carte Vitale through my ameli account. And, of course, you cannot have an ameli account until you have the numéro de sécu. Thus, I promptly went to the website to create an account with my freshly minted numéro de sécu and this is the message it returned after I filled in all my info: 
"Votre situation actuelle ne vous permet pas de créer immédiatement votre compte ameli."
??????
I can't imagine why my current situation does not permit me to create an account. I have a permanent numéro de sécu. I even waited a week for "the system to catch up" and tried again- still the same message. 
Since I was clearly not going to be able to apply for my carte Vitale online, I used the paper form they supplied with the letter to apply by mail. <fingers crossed> Thank goodness they supplied the paper, because they only give you 15 days to apply for the carte Vitale!
Did you run into this same problem?


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## bhamham

colibri7 said:


> Hi there bhamham!
> I was wondering if you have successfully created your ameli account? I finally received my CPAM letter with numéro de sécu (after 3.5 months of waiting, including four visits to their office, two phone calls, and lots of nonsense) and the letter implies I can easily apply for my carte Vitale through my ameli account. And, of course, you cannot have an ameli account until you have the numéro de sécu. Thus, I promptly went to the website to create an account with my freshly minted numéro de sécu and this is the message it returned after I filled in all my info:
> "Votre situation actuelle ne vous permet pas de créer immédiatement votre compte ameli."
> ??????
> I can't imagine why my current situation does not permit me to create an account. I have a permanent numéro de sécu. I even waited a week for "the system to catch up" and tried again- still the same message.
> Since I was clearly not going to be able to apply for my carte Vitale online, I used the paper form they supplied with the letter to apply by mail. <fingers crossed> Thank goodness they supplied the paper, because they only give you 15 days to apply for the carte Vitale!
> Did you run into this same problem?


Yes, I get the same message "Votre situation actuelle ne vous permet pas de créer immédiatement votre compte ameli." I tried on the Ameli app but it wants the serial number off your carte vitale to give you a code before you can setup your acct. Weird. I did not get the 15-day notice nor the paper form to apply for the carte vitale. I can't imagine that you only have 15 days and then it's 'sorry you can't have a carte vitale'. But, I have my Attestation de droits a l'assurance maladie that I can present to a health provider or pharmacy.

Have you tried contacting them by phone? That's my next step - don't have the energy today. La belle France always throwing you curve balls


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## BackinFrance

bhamham said:


> Yes, I get the same message "Votre situation actuelle ne vous permet pas de créer immédiatement votre compte ameli." I tried on the Ameli app but it wants the serial number off your carte vitale to give you a code before you can setup your acct. Weird. I did not get the 15-day notice nor the paper form to apply for the carte vitale. I can't imagine that you only have 15 days and then it's 'sorry you can't have a carte vitale'. But, I have my Attestation de droits a l'assurance maladie that I can present to a health provider or pharmacy.
> 
> Have you tried contacting them by phone? That's my next step - don't have the energy today. La belle France always throwing you curve balls


It has already been confirmed on this thread that you have to use the paper format to apply for your Carte Vitale, since you only received your CPAM attestation late last week and given they have to print the form and mail it to you, I would not expect you to receive it before at least the end of this week.


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## bhamham

OK, thanks for that. Wonder why they would advise on my acceptance letter: Pour commander votre carte vitale, vous pourrez utilizer l'appli Ameli pour smartphone (disponible sur l'AppStore ou GooglePlay) ou votre compte personnel sur Ameli.fr?


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## bhamham

BackinFrance said:


> It has already been confirmed on this thread that you have to use the paper format to apply for your Carte Vitale


Where's that? Can't seem to find it. Thanks


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## BackinFrance

bhamham said:


> OK, thanks for that. Wonder why they would advise on my acceptance letter: Pour commander votre carte vitale, vous pourrez utilizer l'appli Ameli Either it is our smartphone (disponible sur l'AppStore ou GooglePlay) ou votre compte personnel sur Ameli.fr?


Either it is something they have pulled from another standard letter, eg for replacing a carte vitale, or the app is not yet working. But as things currently stand, they send you a hard copy anyway. This government prides itself on making a great many things doable electronically, but the reality is that it quite often doesn't work for various reasons.

Still, France is not really throwing you curve balls in this regard, given that at the moment you can join a contributory system without ever having contributed and if you draw an overseas pension you do not have to contribute. That was introduced by the Hollande government.


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## bhamham

BackinFrance said:


> Either it is something they have pulled from another standard letter, eg for replacing a carte vitale, or the app is not yet working. But as things currently stand, they send you a hard copy anyway. This government prides itself on making a great many things doable electronically, but the reality is that it quite often doesn't work for various reasons.


OK, that's not a curve ball then and I'm very grateful that I'm part of contributory system w/o ever having contributed


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## Bevdeforges

This is pure speculation on my part, but I recently saw a bunch of articles in the "local" French press about some new ("and improved") enhancements to the Ameli site, including some new app to replace the original app supposed to allow you to accumulate medical records so that they were "safe" online while at the same time available to medical personnel. The original app evidently never caught on - basically just listed every prescription you ever filled - and so it has been killed off and is in process of being replaced. With all the various projects they seem to be doing for CPAM I suspect the system for simply signing folks up and handling the regular flow of paperwork may be a little backed up. As with so many things here in France, a little patience goes a long way. <g>


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## colibri7

Just an update...
I tried to call CPAM today to ask about why we cannot create an ameli account. The phone robo takes you through the various phone tree prompts, asks you to state your question, then tells you they are "exceptionnellement fermé" and to call back, after which they provide their normal business hours and no indication of when they will reopen. Super. 

I never received an Attestation de Droits à l'Assurance Maladie, so not sure how I'm going to get one if I can't create an ameli account and can't speak to anyone at the CPAM (here in Dordogne the physical office is closed and now they are not taking calls either). I guess I just have to keep playing the waiting game.


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