Social security number and Vitale card
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Social security registration will lead to the issuance of a social security number and an electronic registration card, the Vitale card (“Carte Vitale”).
Social security number
The social security number is the number under which private individuals are registered to the national identification directory.
It comprises 13 digits and enables insured parties to obtain health and maternity care under the public health insurance system.
Vitale card
The Vitale card is a chip card that proves that the insuree is registered with the local health insurance fund (Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie – CPAM) and is entitled to social security coverage. During medical consultations, it must be presented to the doctor so that social security can reimburse the patient’s medical expenses and so that the latter may benefit from the third-party payer system.
The insuree is not required to pay for certain procedures up front and the health professional is reimbursed directly by Social Security. The Vitale card is delivered free-of-charge to all beneficiaries of health insurance.
This avoids the insuree having to directly request reimbursement from the CPAM.
The card itself should be regularly updated, at least once a year, at terminals in pharmacies, health insurance organizations or certain healthcare establishments.
Any lost or stolen cards can be declared online and a new card obtained as soon as possible.
To register a child less than 18 years old on both their parents’ Vitale card, the “Request to attach minor children to one or both of the insured parents” form should be completed and sent to the CPAM at the registered address of the parents, accompanied by the requested supporting documents.
The Vitale card contains all the insuree’s information, including:
- Their identity and that of their dependents.
- Their social security number.
- Their public health insurance system and the organization by which they are covered.