# Looking for a mutuelle with hospital only cover



## 1790260

We don't have a mutuelle now, having decided not to renew our CSS. We only want hospitalisation cover and the best I can find so far is 150%. Has anyone a mutuelle that offers more than that?


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## Bevdeforges

You'll have to ask around, but I don't think you can dismember the coverages for a mutuelle like that (i.e. "just hospitalisation"). The whole idea of a mutuelle is to pick up the difference between what the sécu reimburses and the base prices from the CPAM's list of covered treatments and procedures. To be a mutuelle, I think 100% cover is the base under the rules and regulations - and that for everything. There are lots of mutuelles that cover 200 or 300% on hospitalisations - but as part of an overall coverage of things like doctor appointments, prescription meds and other treatments.


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## Crabtree

Have you tried a search wizard such as Le Lynx or something like this





Comparatif mutuelles santé (100% GRATUIT) + prix avantageux garantis


Mutuelles-Comparateur.fr est ce qui vous faut pour réaliser des devis comparatifs et découvrir sur un tableau détaillé les prix des mutuelles les plus avantageuses sur un tableau détaillé en ligne. Facilitez-vous la vie !




www.mutuelles-comparateur.fr


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## 1790260

Crabtree said:


> Have you tried a search wizard such as Le Lynx or something like this


Thank you. I've tried other compateur sites but not that one. The ones I have tried tend to favour the more expensive policies (with dental and optic included) If I go direct to a mutuelle's website, I can sometimes tailor the offer bit more. Best I've gotten so far is 150% cover.

At first glance, the site you've given looks a little more likely to yield results 

Edit: in fact, I think it gives me _exactly_ what I want - thank you! I'll bookmark the site in the event someone else needs the info.


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## Crabtree

Thanks for the feedback I am glad my suggestion was useful


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## BackinFrance

Bevdeforges said:


> You'll have to ask around, but I don't think you can dismember the coverages for a mutuelle like that (i.e. "just hospitalisation"). The whole idea of a mutuelle is to pick up the difference between what the sécu reimburses and the base prices from the CPAM's list of covered treatments and procedures. To be a mutuelle, I think 100% cover is the base under the rules and regulations - and that for everything. There are lots of mutuelles that cover 200 or 300% on hospitalisations - but as part of an overall coverage of things like doctor appointments, prescription meds and other treatments.


You used to be able to find cover for just bits and pieces, including just hospital. I don't know if that is still the case or whether they offer/ed more than 150%, which in any case is decent cover. The dental and optical arrangements may have impacted the ability to just choose hospital cover, in which case I wonder what happened to subscribers, and I think there were some on this forum, although of course they may well have preferred to have dental and optical cover as well.


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## Nomoss

My wife and I had a mutuelle with 200% cover for hospitalisation only, for 10 years, as we were concerned about the possibility of needing expensive care.
This was fine until we reached around 75, when our health expenditure began to increase substantially.
This was due to more frequent routine tests, minor accidents requiring continuing treatment such as _kiné_, and surgery carried out as out-patients, _ambulatoire_, which has become more common in recent years for much surgery.
None of this increased expenditure was covered, not even the surgery, as the company's definition of "hospitalisation" was that at least one night was spent in a hospital bed.
For the final year with that company our expenditure was €980, plus €1470 for insurance, which had paid out nothing, a total of €2450 for the two of us.
We switched to another company, with full cover at 100%, costing us €1800 instead of €1470 per year, but our total cost for the next year fell to €686, and since then has never reached the previous level, the highest amount being €1650.

I think that it may be the general case that, as one ages, insurance for routine medical costs, _soins courants, _becomes more important, as these tend to increase, while many surgical procedures, particularly those considered as preventative, are covered at 100% by _l'Assurance Maladie_.


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## Bevdeforges

Seeing all this discussion about hospitalisation coverage, I just had to dig out our current mutuelle cover. and there isn't a single line item for "hospitalisation. There are six or 7 components - from doctor fees to "hospitalisation à domicile" to the daily hospital stay rate - and the cover ranges from "actual charges" to up to 400%. Very complicated and I guess it's no wonder I've heard so many people say that it's really difficult to make valid comparisons across all the various mutuelle contracts. Stay well out there!


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## 1790260

Nomoss said:


> I think that it may be the general case that,* as one ages, insurance for routine medical costs, soins courants, becomes more important, as these tend to increase,* while many surgical procedures, particularly those considered as preventative, are covered at 100% by _l'Assurance Maladie_.


The _infirmière _who did my routine blood test a couple of days back mentioned that very point. She said they can mount up quite quickly so to be aware. It's something for me to keep in mind for future years, as I'm relatively young and healthy (touch wood) at the moment. 

I was looking for higher hospital cover (200+ % if poss) because I was told surgeons, consultant, anesthesiologist, etc costs can be (often are?) above tarif. I'm still playing with numbers/offers and haven't yet decided on anything.


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## 1790260

Bevdeforges said:


> Very complicated and I guess it's no wonder I've heard so many people say that it's really difficult to make valid comparisons across all the various mutuelle contracts.


I know what you're saying. I guess for many/most French folk it's all normal and natural, and often part of their employment or work place schemes, but I'm sure there are many that feel they're playing eeny-meeny-miny-mo!


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## BackinFrance

appunti said:


> The _infirmière _who did my routine blood test a couple of days back mentioned that very point. She said they can mount up quite quickly so to be aware. It's something for me to keep in mind for future years, as I'm relatively young and healthy (touch wood) at the moment.
> 
> I was looking for higher hospital cover (200+ % if poss) because I was told surgeons, consultant, anesthesiologist, etc costs can be (often are?) above tarif. I'm still playing with numbers/offers and haven't yet decided on anything.


Surgeon's and other specialists are not included in the changes for your stay in hospital so, as Bev points out, you need to fully understand what it is exactly that you are signing up for.


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## 1790260

BackinFrance said:


> you need to fully understand what it is exactly that you are signing up for.


Yes, I'm aware. I've yet to compare the various offers I've selected (on the basis of what we can afford)


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## Nomoss

appunti. I don't understand why you have decided not to renew your CSS.
The advantage of this is rather more than simply replacing a private mutuelle at a lower cost; it covers all forfaits, and doctors are not allowed to charge dépassements for treatment to those covered by it.
Of course, I suppose that professionals can say they are unable to offer an appointment, but we have not come across this ourselves.


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## 1790260

Nomoss said:


> I don't understand why you have decided not to renew your CSS.


It's a longish story but in short, tbh, I don't feel CSS is intended for people like myself. 

Whilst I don't earn a great deal (around €4000pa) I do have money in savings and that largely funds my day-to-day - but it probably won't last until my retirement age, so I was stretching it out by being on CSS in the first place. In theory, savings shouldn't play a part in Ameli's decision to grant CSS but when they started asking questions about it (and they didn't when I first applied) in short, it made me feel guilty. With the last communication, they wanted details of savings accounts (_justificatif_ etc) I decided to call a halt.

I see the news, see people working damned hard and earning not a lot - CSS is intended for such people. I'm someone that has decided to retire early to France (got caught up in the financial crash and lost money, but that's another story) and lives a modest but comfortable life. With careful budgeting, or another income stream, I might make it to state retirement age. If not, and the money's gone, I guess then I apply for CSS. 

My life is by no means grim though, and it is a matter of choice and personal conviction.


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## BackinFrance

I think savings, or rather interest on savings, do now play a part, although I am not sure they ask everyone for details, but if your other income is only 4,000€ that may have thrown up a red flag.

CPAM has massive debt, mainly because of the huge amounts the government charged to it during Covid, so they may be looking to reduce expenditure. 

Anyway, I admire your conviction and I hope it all works out for you. I suppose you will be able to reapply if things get too hard.


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