The annual cap on medical deductibles and co-payments will increase in October 2026. The Minister of Health announced a doubling on July 23; the draft decree consulted by AFP on August 24 ultimately sets an overall cap of €140 per year, compared to €100 currently. If you are scheduled for or have just undergone surgery, here's what this actually changes, and what it doesn't.
Update of August 27, 2026: The doubling to €200 has been abandoned. According to the draft decree consulted by AFP on August 24, the overall cap on these deductions will be raised to €140 per year , compared to €100 currently, representing a 40% increase. According to the draft decree reported by franceinfo on August 25, each cap is set at €70 (€70 for deductibles and €70 for flat-rate contributions), with implementation scheduled for October 1, 2026. As of September 3, the decree has still not been published in the Official Journal. This page will be updated upon its publication.
Three devices with similar names, not to be confused
Confusion is common, including in the press, because three separate samples have similar names. Distinguishing them helps to understand what is increasing and what is remaining the same.
- The medical deductible The deduction applies to medications (per box), paramedical services, and medical transport. The initial proposal doubled the annual cap from 50 to 100 euros; the draft decree of August 24th maintains a revised, lower overall cap, the breakdown of which has not yet been published.
- The flat-rate contribution : a deduction of 2 euros on each consultation or examination. Same logic: the initially planned doubling is replaced by the overall cap of 140 euros, i.e. 70 euros for each cap according to the draft decree.
- The €32 flat fee for major procedures : paid once for a procedure costing up to 120 euros, typically a surgical intervention. This system is not part of the announced reform.
The unit amounts do not change: it is the authorized annual total that increases, up to 140 euros per person according to the draft decree of August 24, instead of the 200 euros of the initial draft.
What this changes for a surgical procedure
A surgical procedure involves a significant number of procedures subject to these deductions: pre-operative consultations with the surgeon and anesthesiologist, examinations and assessments, discharge medications, physiotherapy sessions, and sometimes medical transport. Each of these procedures reduces the coverage limits. Until now, a patient receiving close monitoring often reached €100 and paid nothing beyond that. Starting in October, this protective limit will be triggered €40 later.
Important note: these deductions are not processed by your supplemental health insurance. Deductibles and fixed co-payments are subtracted from your national health insurance reimbursements, and supplemental insurance plans are not allowed to cover them in "responsible" contracts, which includes almost all contracts. This is a direct out-of-pocket expense, regardless of your coverage level.
To place these amounts in the overall cost of an operation, daily fee, 32 euro fee, private room and additional charges, our simulator of the out-of-pocket expenses after an operation calculates each item individually.
Who remains protected
Those already exempt from these charges remain so: minors, beneficiaries of the Solidarity-Based Supplementary Health Insurance or State Medical Aid, and pregnant women from the sixth month of pregnancy. However, a long-term illness does not exempt individuals from either deductibles or fixed co-payments: patients with long-term illnesses, often heavy users of healthcare, are among those most affected by this increase.
The schedule and what can still change
The measure will be implemented by decree, without a parliamentary vote. At the time of writing, the text has not yet been published in the Official Journal: the precise details, the exact date of entry into force in October, and any potential amendments may therefore still change. We will update this page upon publication of the decree.
F.A.Q
Is the price of my operation directly affected?
No. The procedure itself is covered by the €32 flat fee for major procedures, which is not included in this reform, and hospitalization costs remain as usual. It is the post-operative care—consultations, medication, physiotherapy, and transportation—that will be subject to a 40% increase in the maximum reimbursement rates.
Can my health insurance cover these amounts?
No, not for the vast majority of contracts: responsible contracts are legally prohibited from reimbursing deductibles and fixed co-payments. Therefore, increasing your health insurance coverage level makes no difference.
How can I keep track of my ceiling progress?
The ameli account details, statement by statement, the deductibles and co-payments deducted from your reimbursements. These deductions appear line by line, allowing you to track the total for the current year.
Verified sources
- Public Sénat, announcement from the Minister of Health on July 23, 2026
- Vidal, Medical deductibles: the government announces the doubling of the ceilings
- Franceinfo, The ceiling for medical deductibles finally set at 140 euros per year in the draft decree (August 25, 2026)
- Health insurance, Medical deductible
- Health insurance, the flat-rate contribution
General information page written on August 13, 2026, updated on August 27 and September 3, 2026, as the draft decree was revised (total limit reduced from €200 to €140, €70 per device). The decree has not yet been published in the Official Journal. This page contains no commercial links.
