How France’s new free health checks work
People in four key age groups are eligible and the 30-45 minute checks are designed to offer better preventative care
The health checks are free for eligible people in the four key age ranges
Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock
More than 21 million people in France are now eligible for a free health check as part of new preventative healthcare measures.
Called ‘Mon bilan prévention’, the scheme is a joint initiative from the Assurance maladie, the Mutualité sociale agricole, and Santé publique France. A communication campaign to raise awareness about it was launched on September 9.
President Emmanuel Macron first mentioned the idea in 2022. The system was then tested in the Hauts-de-France region between October and December 2023 for people aged 45-50, and was rolled out nationwide in June.
Read also: Trial into new free health check-ups begin in France: who can benefit?
What does the scheme involve?
The aim is to give people in France the opportunity to talk to a health specialist, including:
Doctor, nurse, pharmacist, midwife - and, soon, a physiotherapist
Topics can include anything that could affect their overall health and longevity, including:
Diet, sleep, physical activity, mental health, and sexual health
Who is eligible for a check?
The scheme offers people the chance to make regular appointments ‘at key stages in their lives’.
These are between the ages of:
18-25 - A key age, often marking the end of school and the start of work or university life
45-50 - A key age in the first tests for common cancers
60-65 - An age when chronic conditions could begin or worsen, risking future independence
70-75 - A time when chronic illnesses and other conditions could cause isolation and a lack of independence and autonomy.
Particularly in the case of the first age group, the aim is to prevent and identify addiction and mental health problems from adulthood, said the Haut Conseil de la Santé Publique.
How do you get a check?
The eligible person (within the right age range, and eligible for state healthcare) can contact the specialist or doctor of their choice, and ask if they have availability for a 30-45-minute bilan prévention.
You can also request a check by filling out a form in your Mon Espace Santé space in your Ameli.fr Assurance maladie account.
Read also: What essential health screenings are available for free in France?
What are the stated aims of the checks?
Offering people four appointments over the course of their life is designed to offer better preventative care, and potentially identity issues before they become a major problem or health risk.
The tool aims to respond to “the many health and social challenges such as demographic ageing and chronic diseases”, the authorities said.
The checks are designed to be “tailored to the needs of people in France” and be “as close as possible to their expectations”.
Because they are free, and available to anyone who is eligible for state health care within the age ranges concerned, it is also designed to help reduce “social inequalities in health”.
Each check-up is fully covered by the Assurance maladie, with no advance payment required.
It comes as the Assurance maladie states that 25% of people in France suffer from a chronic illness, a figure that rises to 75% after the age of 65.
It adds that the World Health Organization (WHO) believes that a significant proportion of these illnesses are caused by preventable factors such as a lack of physical activity, smoking, poor diet, and alcohol consumption.
