Paris Journal 2015 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com
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Before we left for France this year, I double checked on our health insurance coverage. Our insurance covers us while in France, but we have to pay for the care and then submit claims for reimbursement. Tom’s visit to the doctor yesterday reminded us that there is more to the story. The main point is: health care is far less expensive to begin with in France than in the U.S., regardless of insurance. Tom had a lengthy (full 30-minutes) appointment with the doctor yesterday. He paid cash for it – only 80 euros. I know it would be twice that much in the U.S. Of course, in the U.S., he’d just pay his $15 co-pay, and the doctor’s office would submit the claim. For this French visit, I will submit the claim, and then Tom will be reimbursed about 65 dollars for the 80 euro visit. But there is still more to the story. On the way to the doctor, Tom stopped in at a pharmacy because he did not bring enough pills with him for his two prescription medications. He’s short by about two weeks’ worth of pills. We know from prior years that it is simple to just take your empty prescription bottle to the pharmacy, hand it to the pharmacist, and say, “s’il vous plait.” The pharmacist then fills the order, no questions asked. After yesterday, we now know that not only is that true, but the medications cost far less than they do in the U.S. In Tom’s case, they even cost less than the co-pay. Tom got a one-month supply of one medication, and a two-month supply of the other, for less than what the co-pays would be in the U.S. There’s no need to submit an insurance claim for this. The pharmacist was savvy; he said to Tom, “It is less expensive, yes?” Yes, indeed. Also, the French pharmacists keep no records of filling your prescriptions (surely this is not true for narcotics, however). So you could, theoretically, go to three different pharmacies and get your prescription refilled three times. Why are the French so lax about this? Well, face it. People do not abuse things like blood pressure medication and high cholesterol medication. A greater problem would be people skipping or not taking such medications. To address this bigger and more real problem, French pharmacists make it easy for people to get their meds and take them. Those people include foreigners as well as citizens. This is so rational, sane, practical, and caring. Bravo, Frenchies! I will never forget seeing a German tourist cry at the CVS on Sanibel because she was unable to get her blood pressure medication. Shameful! Tom was very pleased with his doctor’s appointment. He got all his questions answered. When he returned with his tales of hassle-free, good, relevant, and affordable health care, I greeted him with tale of hassle-laden dealings with our bank when I simply wanted to transfer money to my younger brother’s account (to pay him for work he did for us) at the same bank (Wells Fargo) using a service (SurePay) that the bank advertises. Because of the type of account my brother has, the bank simply does not want to allow the transfer. I have to use the less efficient online-bill-pay instead, which means it takes almost a week for him to get the funds. How arbitrary, and senseless. Aaargh. I guess French banks are just as bad, though, from what I hear. We don’t have a French bank account, so I don’t personally know. We still use a Bank of America debit card to make ATM withdrawals at BNP Parisbas ATMs because there is no ATM fee. There is supposed to be a foreign transaction fee (instituted last summer), but when I complained about it, Bank of America waived it for me. At least complaining does some good at Bank of America, unlike Wells Fargo. And Bank of America has a Travel Rewards Visa card with no foreign transaction fee. So that card replaces our American Express when we’re in France. Back to the health care issues . . . . Tom asked Dr. Salzman when it is appropriate to call SAMU (dial 15 on the phone) vs. the pompiers (dial 18 on the phone). 911 does not work in France. Dr. Salzman says you call SAMU when it is an urgent emergency – for example, you’re having a stroke RIGHT NOW. The SAMU responds with not just medics in the ambulance; a real doctor arrives in that ambulance as well. You call the pompiers when you have a mere emergency – for example, you fell and you think maybe you broke your leg. For that, medics arrive in an ambulance or fire truck. I’m still not absolutely clear about this question of who (SAMU or pompiers) to call in what case, but I’m sure it all gets sorted out by the French dispatchers. What impresses me is that a real doctor comes with the SAMU response. When we were walking home from dinner last night, we had to make our way around a sleek, black Mercedes parked in the middle of the sidewalk. I saw a medicin d’urgence sign propped up on the dashboard. Maybe the SAMU doctors drive themselves to the scene sometimes? Dinner was at a new place – new for us, anyway. It is called Intuition Gourmande, and it is near Le Cap. Our starter course, a leek and goat cheese appetizer, was good, but a little bland. Tom’s main course, a beef stroganoff, was terrific. Mine, a chicken breast stuffed with cheese and ham bits, served with cabbage, was good – especially the cabbage. For dessert we shared a dark chocolate tart garnished with a grapefruit confiture. Fascinating – I had no idea that grapefruit could be such a complimentary taste with dark chocolate!
Intuition Gourmande was a nice place, with good service and reasonable prices. It is small, and has very authentic bistrot ambiance. I’m sure we will return. |
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Notre Dame
de Lorette (above and below).
Leek and
goat cheese appetizer at Intuition Gourmande, on
rue Petel.
Beef
stroganoff, above, and supreme de poulet jaune (below).
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