Do I have to pay upfront?

Not where direct billing applies: we transmit the claim electronically using your Vitale card.

What remains payable by me?

The top-up share and, where applicable, the flat contribution. We tell you before the first visit rather than after.

Does Sunday care cost more?

Sunday, public holiday and night supplements exist in the national schedule; they are regulated and reimbursed on the same terms.

Home nursing care: what French health insurance covers

Written by Léa Marchand, State-registered nurse · 10 August 2026 · 2 min read

Reviewed on 20 August 2026 · Reviewed by Thomas Berthier

Prescription, sector 1, direct billing, top-up cover: the billing route explained plainly, without coding jargon.

Key points

A prescribed nursing procedure is reimbursed under the national schedule, usually at 60 %, with a top-up insurer covering the rest.
For a recognised long-term condition, related care is covered at 100 %.
Direct billing removes upfront payment: the claim goes straight to the fund.
A home visit carries a travel supplement set by the schedule, not a free-form surcharge.

The prescription comes first

Home nursing care is covered when prescribed by a doctor. Without a prescription there is no reimbursement.

Some prescriptions are valid for several months and renewable: we warn you before they expire so care is not interrupted.

Sector 1 and direct billing

Working in sector 1 means applying agreed tariffs, with no extra fees.

With direct billing, the health-insurance share is not asked of you: it is paid straight to the practice.

The remaining share depends on your top-up insurer. Under long-term-condition status, cover is generally full.

What you actually pay

Three lines may remain: the top-up share if your insurer does not cover it fully, the statutory flat-rate contribution, and any procedure carried out outside a prescription at your request.

Everything else — prescribed procedures, travel, statutory night or Sunday supplements — follows the agreed schedule. We apply no extra fees.

We state before the first visit what will be billed and what will not. A patient should never discover an amount after the care.

What blocks a reimbursement, and how to avoid it

The three causes we meet most often: an expired prescription, entitlements not up to date on the Carte Vitale, and a change of top-up insurer we were not told about.

Each is solved in minutes if spotted early. So we check entitlements at the first visit, then at every prescription renewal.

If a claim is rejected, we take the file back ourselves: it is not for the patient to mediate between the practice and the insurer.

Travel costs

A flat travel allowance is added to procedures carried out at home: it is set by the national agreement and follows the same reimbursement rules.

Checking your own situation

Your health insurance fund and your ameli account remain the official source: rules change, and your personal situation takes precedence over any web page, including this one.

Frequently asked questions on this page

Do I have to pay upfront?: Not where direct billing applies: we transmit the claim electronically using your Vitale card.
What remains payable by me?: The top-up share and, where applicable, the flat contribution. We tell you before the first visit rather than after.
Does Sunday care cost more?: Sunday, public holiday and night supplements exist in the national schedule; they are regulated and reimbursed on the same terms.

Terms explained

NGAP: The official list of nursing procedures and their billing codes, which determines what can be invoiced to French health insurance.
Long-term condition (ALD): A chronic condition recognised by French health insurance, granting 100 % cover for care related to that condition.
Direct billing: You do not pay upfront: the professional is paid directly by health insurance and, where applicable, by the top-up insurer.
SESAM-Vitale: The electronic claims system: the patient's Vitale card and the professional's CPS card jointly sign an invoice sent to the health fund with no paperwork.
Prescription: A doctor's written order stating the procedure, frequency and duration. Without it, nursing care cannot be delivered or reimbursed, apart from procedures allowed in direct access.

Official sources

What we write is based on public references you can check for yourself.

Reimbursement: what is covered, what you payAssurance Maladie (ameli.fr)
Nursing care assessment (BSI): the dedicated serviceAssurance Maladie (ameli.fr)

This page is informational and replaces neither a medical consultation nor a prescription.