From February 1, 2026, everyday medications will no longer be reimbursed by health insurance: the French will have to pay for them out of pocket.

Another sector affected: spa treatments, the reimbursement rate for which for patients with long-term illnesses would drop from 100% to 65%.

The stated objective? To redirect public spending towards treatments deemed truly effective, and to encourage prescriptions more suited to medical needs.

“Low Medical Benefit”: What does this mean?
Medical benefit (SMR) is an indicator used by the French National Authority for Health to assess the benefits of a drug. If it is classified as “low,” this means that its effectiveness has not been sufficiently demonstrated, or that more effective alternatives exist.

But that doesn’t mean it’s useless in all cases. For many patients, these treatments remain important for their daily quality of life.

What changes for you from February 1, 2026