The new reform 100 % Santé gives you access to hearing aid free of charge paid by Cpam and your top up, so you no longer need to go back to the UK to buy them!
There are 2 types of hearing aid:
-Class I which are fully covered under the 100% santé as long as you have a top up contract that includes it (contrat Responsable).
They follow strict criteria and every hearing aid shop that sells Class 2 hearing aid must propose Class 1 hearing aid with the same quality:
They must have 12 adjustment levels and 30 decibels minimum of amplification. And they must have at least 3 of the following options:
- Tinnitus white noise generator
- Connection Bluetooth
- Expanded Bandwidth ≥ 6 000 Hz
- Réductor of wind noise
- Binaural Synchronisation
- Anti- reverb and Echo effect
- Adaptive Directive microphonic noise (directionnal microphones)
Note that the quality of those hearing aids is the same as the expensive one below according to a test made by UFC Que choisir (French independent consumer magazine:
-Class II: not covered by the 100% santé. Basically, they are the same as above but would have extra options such as being connected to your Smart phone and some other confort options. Also note that you can get some money back from your top up on class 2 hearing aids, but the amount depends on your contract.
Normally you have 30 days to try your hearing aid, free of charge, whether it is Class 1 or 2.
General things to know about hearing aids in France:
Do not wait to become deaf to have an appointment with an ORL (Oto-rhino-laryngologiste which is a hearing doctor). Most of them have a waiting list but not as long as the eye doctor. You first need a prescription from your GP to go and see one.
Then you get a prescription for your hearing aid to purchase it from a hearing aid shop called Audioprothesis. Don’t just turn up at the shop to get a test!! It won’t work. And you won’t get reimbursed without the prescription.
You can only change your hearing aids every 4 years.
Batteries are reimbursed but limited per year depending on the hearing aid you have.
Obligatory quote:
Since 1st of January 2021, all the hearing aid shops must include systematically in their quote the 100% santé.
Do insist for the 100% santé. Especially if you are on a budget!! And yes, of course, the professionals selling you the hearing aids get more money selling Classe 2 than Classe 1, so beware.
See an example of a quote below. The first offer includes the 100% santé and left 0 in the section indicating how much is left to be reimbursed by the customer: “Montant total du reste à charge, si connu”. The total price for the hearing aid is 1900, 480 reimburse by Cpam and 1420 reimbursed by Allianz.
In the second offer (autre offre), the one NOT 100% santé, you can see the shop Sellman put the amount reimbursed by both CPAM and the top up insurance (480 and 320). Leaving “a small” 2 580 euro to pay by the customer.
Note that Hearing aid shops (unlike dentist) have a system that allows them to check what cover for hearing aid you have with your top up.
Conclusion: The new law is fantastic and means you can get treatment covered fully by your top up as long as you have the proper contract (Contrat Responsable). But you need to know the law before you visit your local shop!! Now you do!!
Please feel free to contact me for a quote for a top up insurance. Note that the law has changed now, and we can cancel your existing top up contract at anytime as long as you have had the contract for at least one year so please do not hesitate and contact me for a quote. You probably have a contract with extra level of cover for teeth, glasses or hearing aid where now it is not necessary as 100% is enough so you could have a cheaper contract! Plus, with Allianz, you can choose better cover for hospital while staying on low level for teeth or glasses, etc. Most companies have level 1, 2, 3 etc. so if you want best cover for hospital, you have no choice but have best cover for all the rest as well.
And remember to check out our web site www.bh-assurances.fr/en for all my previous articles and register to receive our monthly Newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook: “Allianz Jacques Boulesteix et Romain Lesterps”
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