Four years after the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, the virus is still circulating in France but at very low levels. Faced with this improvement, the government made the decision in March 2023 to no longer reimburse 100% of screening tests. Do you have to pay to get tested? Europe 1 answers you.
It had become a habit since the start of the coronavirus epidemic, which led to global confinement in March 2020. Four years later, Covid-19 screening tests are still available in pharmacies. But are they always free? With low circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and ever decreasing indicators according to Public Health France, the regulations evolved in March 2023. Today, the reimbursement conditions have evolved and 100% coverage by Health insurance is no longer automatic.
Exceptions for vulnerable populations
The price of the test, billed at 16.50 euros, is now covered 70% by Health Insurance and 30% by the patient’s mutual insurance, if the latter has subscribed to one. For these antigenic tests, people who do not have mutual insurance therefore have to pay the remainder, unless they benefit from complementary solidarity health insurance, the latter being subject to a low level of income.
However, exceptions exist to continue to protect the most vulnerable populations. Full support is maintained for healthcare professionals, patients with long-term illness (ALD), people aged 65 and over, minors, pregnant women and people undergoing collective screening. Note that the same applies to PCR tests carried out in the laboratory, the latter being subject to the same reimbursement conditions as pharmacy tests.