Social security paid for 76% of all medical costs in 2014 (last numbers I could find).
92% of hospital bills 64% of doctors visits 62% of drugs, glasses and such. Most prescribed drugs by your doctor being reimbursed 100% you don't even have to pay at the pharmacy.
http://www.vie-publique.fr/decouverte-institutions/protectio...
You also have a very simplistic way of understanding how our retirement pension system works and the role it has in the society.
Not paying at the pharmacy does not mean that you do not pay at all. You pay three times: Your employer pays for you a huge amount, you pay (look at your payroll), your mutual fund pays.
Most people pay much more indirectly during their life than they receive services through the SS.
Glasses, complicated dental procedures, insoles, ... are very little reimbursed.
The overall total (drugs+glasses and such) is 62% reimbursed by social security according to the article by vie-publique.fr
No, that's only for life threatening conditions.[0] You perceive that they are 100% reimbursed, but thats only thanks to private insurances, which are mandatory if you're employed by a firm, but up to you in other cases.
>Glasses, complicated dental procedures, insoles, ... are very little reimbursed.
Yes and it's often quite a surprise to end up paying for dentistry (which is rather expensive) when you already pay a lot for public + private insurances.
>The overall total (drugs+glasses and such) is 62% reimbursed by social security according to the article by vie-publique.fr
In total € I have no doubt. But SS still reimburses about 8 euros for a pair of glasses. That's not 62% of a glasses bill, and the 8 euros for all glass wearers in france do not account for 62% of the SS expenses. The drug reimbursement look that huge but that's only because some people are with lifelong, expensive treatments (1500€ per month for HIV for example) that are fully covered.
In real life, a little portion of people are benefiting from this coverage, and healthy people are prescribed 30% reimbursed medication for mundane affections (I looked up classic treatment for gastroenteritis). So you end up paying with your private insurance (if you took one, which is not guaranteed if you're freelancer for example), or even your own money if you need glasses or a new tooth.
I just want people not to have the wrong idea about how the system works. You're fully covered by society if you're very sick/very poor, that's true, but if you come in France to start a business you probably don't fall in either category and will end up paying a lot (social contributions + through your own money or your private insurance). And private insurance prices are rising 3% per year. Which is to be expected since social security are in the process of unreimbursing many drugs or acts, alas with no cost decrease.
[0]https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F21760
I may have a simplistic way to understand it, but I am well educated in business and I had to hire people during my professional life.