One question comes up before almost every procedure: how much will I pay? The answer is never simply the "price of the operation". In France, the national health insurance covers most of the costs of surgery performed in a contracted facility, and what remains to be paid consists of a few identifiable elements, often poorly explained: a daily hospitalization fee, a fixed co-payment, a private room if you request it, and possible additional fees.
The simulator below adds up these items based on current public rates. It does not provide the price of your service, which only the facility can tell you, but it calculates the portion that no one details and tells you what to ask for.
Out-of-pocket expenses simulator
Enter 0 for outpatient surgery (admission and discharge on the same day).
The vast majority of procedures performed in the operating room exceed this threshold. If in doubt, ask the secretary for the CCAM code and its associated fee.
Add together the amounts quoted by the surgeon and the anesthesiologist. Leave blank if your practitioner practices in sector 1 without charging extra fees.
This is an indicative estimate based on publicly available information verified on August 13, 2026, on ameli.fr, excluding supplemental health insurance. It does not replace the healthcare facility's quote or your supplemental health insurance statement. The calculation is performed entirely in your browser: no data entered is transmitted or saved.
What Health Insurance covers, and what it doesn't cover
In a public hospital or a private clinic under contract with the national health insurance system, 80% of hospitalization costs are reimbursed by the national health insurance. The remaining 20% constitutes the patient's co-payment. For surgical procedures, this co-payment almost always disappears: as soon as the procedure fee reaches €120, or its coefficient reaches 60, the co-payment is replaced by a single flat fee of €32. This is why a major operation can cost less, in terms of the patient's out-of-pocket expenses, than a minor procedure billed on a percentage basis.
Three items, however, are not reimbursed, regardless of the procedure: the daily hospital fee, set at €23 per day since March 1, 2026 (€17 in psychiatric wards), comfort supplements such as private rooms, television, or telephone, and excess fees. These three items are covered by your supplemental health insurance, within the limits of your contract.
The four questions to ask before signing
- What is the CCAM code of the intervention and its base price? This is the reference point on which your health insurance company will calculate its contribution.
- Do the surgeon and the anesthesiologist charge extra fees? Ask for the cost of each service separately. The anesthesiologist is often omitted from the estimate.
- What is the price of a private room, and is it billed as an outpatient service? The answer varies from one institution to another.
- Does my health insurance cover these amounts? Send her the written quote before the intervention and ask for a simulation of coverage, as well as direct coverage if she offers it.
Also consider the loss of income: sick leave does not add to the cost of the procedure; it represents lost revenue, which impacts the same budget but is not included on the same invoice. The duration of the leave, the payments made during this period, and the procedures are detailed separately, as are the published durations of leave for each procedure.
Cosmetic surgery: a completely different logic
All of the above assumes that the procedure is covered by French National Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie). Surgery performed purely for cosmetic purposes is not covered: it is billed freely, VAT applies, and the entire cost remains your responsibility. Certain procedures change their status depending on the clinical situation, such as blepharoplasty when an eyelid genuinely obstructs the field of vision, or abdominoplasty after significant weight loss. In these cases, coverage depends on specific criteria and sometimes requires prior agreement: we detail the actual conditions in the guide to abdominoplasty coverage.
News: The annual cap on medical deductibles and fixed co-payments will increase to 140 euros per year on October 1, 2026. Our dedicated article explains what changes regarding a procedure.
F.A.Q
Does having a long-term illness (ALD) exempt you from paying everything?
No, and this is the most common misconception. A long-term illness that qualifies for exemption eliminates the flat-rate contribution for care related to that illness, but the daily hospital fee remains due, as do the costs of a private room and any additional charges. The two systems operate according to separate exemption lists.
Is outpatient surgery cheaper?
Out-of-pocket expenses are often higher, since the daily hospital fee does not apply without an overnight stay. The €32 co-payment and any additional charges remain the same. However, be sure to check if the facility charges for a day room.
What should be done if no written information has been provided?
Prior written notification is mandatory once the fees reach €70, including any overcharges. If you have not received it, request it from the receptionist before the procedure. In the event of a persistent disagreement regarding a bill, mediation will be handled by your health insurance provider and, for ethical matters, by the departmental council of the Medical Association.
Verified sources
- Health insurance, hospitalization: your coverage.
- Health insurance, the hospital daily allowance.
- Health insurance, the €32 flat fee.
- Health insurance, excess fees: a quote from €70.
General information page on support rules, verified on August 13, 2026. It does not constitute a quote and contains no commercial links.
