According to the law on “Artificial Insemination for All”, France wants to facilitate access to contraceptives for young women between 15 and 25 years of age.
Health Minister Olivier Véran announced on Thursday that from January 1, 2022, the state health insurance would cover all costs for a doctor's visit and contraceptives.
For reasons of cost, young women more and more forego reliable contraceptive methods, he said on TV channel France 2. That should change with the assumption of costs.
Michaela Wiegel
Political correspondent based in Paris.
Follow I follow
The measure will cost the contributors around 21 million euros annually.
The state health insurance is chronically deficient.
In 2020 the deficit was a record € 30 billion.
Young girls between the ages of 15 and 18 have been offered free contraception since 2013.
The abortion rate among minors fell from 10.5 to 5.7 per 1,000 between 2010 and 2019.
The regulation stipulates that young girls can make the necessary visits to the doctor without having to give their social security number. You can be so sure that your parents won't find out about it. The same has been true for the morning-after pill since 1999. Minors can get the emergency contraceptive free of charge and without a prescription from the pharmacy. The morning-after pill does not require a prescription even for adult French women. However, you will only be reimbursed if you have been to the doctor beforehand.