What is a médecin traitant?
A médecin traitant is your declared primary care doctor (GP) in the French healthcare system. It's the cornerstone of the parcours de soins coordonnés — France's coordinated care pathway. You choose any general practitioner (médecin généraliste) in France, ask them to register you as a patient, and declare them to CPAM via ameli.fr. Simple — but the financial consequences of not doing it are significant.
Why it matters: the reimbursement gap
Without a declared médecin traitant, your reimbursements are systematically reduced:
- GP consultation: 45% instead of 70%
- Specialist consultation without referral: significantly reduced rates
- Medications prescribed by a non-coordinated doctor: lower reimbursement
Over a year, this can add up to several hundred euros in extra out-of-pocket costs — purely for the administrative omission of not declaring a GP.
How to declare your médecin traitant
- Choose a general practitioner (any GP in France, not necessarily near your home)
- Book an appointment and ask them to register you as their patient
- The doctor fills out the Cerfa 12485 declaration form with you
- They send it directly to CPAM via your carte Vitale or by post
- The declaration takes effect within 48 to 72 hours, visible on ameli.fr
No cost, no bureaucracy, takes one appointment. You can change your médecin traitant at any time, for any reason.
The problem: finding a GP who accepts new patients
France has a significant shortage of GPs in many areas. Many doctors have closed their patient lists. If you're struggling to find a GP who will accept you, there are several options:
- Contact your CPAM in writing — since 2023, they can direct you to a doctor or medical centre in your area
- Try medical centres (maisons de santé) which often have more capacity
- Check Doctolib.fr — some doctors accept new patients online
- Notify CPAM that you don't have a médecin traitant through your ameli.fr account — this protects you from reimbursement penalties if you see a specialist
Specialists with direct access (no referral needed)
You can see these specialists directly without your GP's referral and still receive full reimbursement:
- Ophthalmologist (ophthalmologue)
- Gynaecologist (gynécologue)
- Psychiatrist for under-26s (psychiatre)
- Dentist (chirurgien-dentiste)
All other specialists should ideally be seen with a referral from your médecin traitant to get the best reimbursement rates.