Dental centers, online advertisements, opticians… watch out for health scams!

Juliette Moreau Alvarez 5:26 p.m., September 07, 2022

A year to have an appointment with a doctor, benefits not reimbursed by social security, specialists less and less present in medical deserts… there is reason to be discouraged.

However, this does not deserve to be thrown into the mouth of the wolf.

In

, Murielle Giordan, journalist for the magazine Advantages, flushed out scams in the health sector in an investigation and shares her conclusions with Europe 1. Lack of information, fake doctors, express sessions... watch out for abuse!

Always ask for a second opinion

Murielle Giordan warns: medical shenanigans "there are plenty of them!"

Often, at the heart of his scams, a "race for profitability", for which the patient pays dearly.

Murielle takes the example of ophthalmology centers or dental centers.

You have to be "suspicious".

Sometimes, under cover of low prices, the centers will overcharge for acts that do not have to be.

And sometimes patients will not be managed by real ophthalmologists.

“It may be paramedics who will treat you, specifies Murielle at the microphone of Europe 1. You have small visits, and then they transfer your file to doctors who are abroad, who go through your file and who say what treatment to adopt. That's where the scam lies!"

To avoid this type of situation, do not hesitate to inquire before even going to a center.

There are certain signs to avoid these drifts.

"The good compromise, of course, can be found by treating yourself at low cost in there, but if you are offered, for example, an immediate site after a session: beware!"

Murielle Giordan warns about professionals who offer to "redo everything" in the blink of an eye.

“Get a second opinion,” she advises.

"Even if it means paying for a new appointment with the dentist, in the end it will cost you less," says the journalist.

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Beware of appointments made too quickly

Another sign of a scam in sight: appointments made in a jiffy.

"Sometimes, for an ophthalmologist, we will give you an appointment in 24 or 72 hours", explains the specialist on Europe 1, because there are "slots every fifteen minutes".

On the one hand, Murielle Giordan admits, it can be a "good plan" for little things like scaling, or small cavities in dental centers.

For large projects, such as a dental prosthesis, "there, you have to be careful, you really have to have made several appointments beforehand."

It is not because you are offered a cheaper and faster service that you do not have the right to a follow-up.

Distrust also on the side of signs and promotional offers: "don't go there" alert Murielle Giordan.

Go on the lookout for real hidden good deals

Since January 1, 2021, the 100% Health offer has been accessible to all French people in order to equip themselves for the ears, teeth or even for sight at very low cost, or even free of charge.

On the antenna of Europe 1, Murielle recommends to be careful and to have a lynx eye.

"When you go to an optician, you realize that the interesting low-cost frames are at the back of the store, a little hidden. They are not even offered to you."

The majority of opticians do not play the game. So you really have to go fishing for information and "go everywhere" to find out.

Interesting places still exist, nuance Murielle Giordan.

At the microphone of Europe 1, she recommends several serious companies such as "Lunettes pour tous, Paulette.com, Droit de regards".

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Beware of cold calls and online advertisements

On the Internet, it is difficult to differentiate good plans from scams.

Behind his screen, however, we must always remain suspicious, especially on mutual insurance.

"We are wary, because we will sell you really cheap mutual insurance, which will ultimately cost you a lot because you will be reimbursed a lot, but for positions that do not interest you, specifies Murielle Giordan. "Imagine, you don't wear glasses and we offer you a super health insurance that reimburses everything." Avoiding scams also means "targeting your needs".

Same fight for cold calling.

"Do not sign anything" and find out, warns the journalist on Europe 1.