"For many Americans, the French healthcare system comes as a welcome surprise. A trip to the emergency room would net an insured American anywhere from $50 to $500 in co-pay costs, but in France the visit comes out to €19.61 out of pocket. While Americans resident in France and registered with public health insurance often remark on the stark differences between accessing medical care in the two countries, American tourists have also caught on to the benefits, particularly when it comes to drug pricing."
"In an interview with French daily Le Figaro, one retired American visitor, Rosine, said she has got into the habit of visiting France once a year to buy drugs she and her husband need for their type 2 diabetes. "To avoid spending a fortune on medication, I visited the Canal du Midi, discovered Provence, and regularly explored Paris. That's what I call a wise allocation of my resources!" Rosine joked to the French daily."
"Rosine told Le Figaro that Ozempic costs the couple between $1,100 and $1,300 per month per person. She and her husband have Medicare, but no additional private insurance in the US. As such, she estimated they pay $24,000 per year to treat their diabetes. In contrast, Rosine explained that purchasing these medications from French pharmacies, despite not being insured in France, costs €2,000."
Many Americans travel to France to buy prescription drugs because prices are significantly lower. Emergency-room co-pays for insured Americans range from $50 to $500, while in France visits cost €19.61 out of pocket. Americans resident in France registered with public health insurance report stark differences in access, and tourists use lower drug prices. A retired American, Rosine, travels yearly to buy diabetes medications, paying €2,000 in France versus about $24,000 annually in the US for her and her husband. A Rand Institute study found brand-name drugs average over four times higher in the US across 33 developed nations.
Read at The Local France
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