Accessing healthcare in France without breaking the bank is a fundamental right, yet many insured residents are still unaware that they can benefit from high-quality health coverage at a minimal cost, or even completely free of charge. The Complémentaire santé solidaire (C2S) (solidarity health supplement) is a public scheme designed to help people with modest incomes cover the portion of healthcare expenses not reimbursed by the compulsory Assurance Maladie (French national health insurance). Merging the former CMU-C and ACS (Aide au paiement d'une complémentaire santé), the C2S serves as an essential social safety net for millions of residents in France, whether they are French citizens or legal foreign residents. This comprehensive guide, written by the experts at AvocatAI, explains in detail how this free or under-one-euro-a-day top-up insurance works, its eligibility criteria, and the steps to obtain it.
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The Complémentaire santé solidaire is financial assistance to help pay for your healthcare expenses if you have a modest income. Depending on your resources, it costs you nothing or costs you less than 1 € per day per person.
From a legal standpoint, the C2S is codified under Articles *L. 861-1 et seq. of the Code de la sécurité sociale*** (French Social Security Code). This scheme guarantees comprehensive, high-quality coverage, leaving you with zero out-of-pocket expenses for the vast majority of routine and complex medical care.
The C2S offers highly protective guarantees, often superior to those found in entry-level contracts of standard private mutuelles (complementary health insurance funds). By benefiting from the C2S, you enjoy:
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To qualify for the Complémentaire santé solidaire, you must meet two essential cumulative conditions: a residency condition and a resource condition.
You must reside in France in a stable and regular manner:
The resources taken into account are those received by all members of your household during the 12 calendar months preceding the second-to-last month of your application (for example, for an application submitted in November 2024, the assessed resources run from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024).
The household includes the applicant, their spouse, civil partner (under a Pacs), or cohabitant, as well as dependants under 25 years of age.
Below are the annual resource caps applicable in metropolitan France (rates in force as of April 1, 2024):
| Household Composition | Cap for Free C2S (without financial contribution) | Cap for Paid C2S (with financial contribution) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1 person | 10,166 € | 13,724 € |
| 2 people | 15,249 € | 20,586 € |
| 3 people | 18,299 € | 24,703 € |
| 4 people | 21,349 € | 28,820 € |
| Per additional person | + 4,066 € | + 5,490 € |
Note for overseas departments: the caps are slightly higher there due to the cost of living.
If you own your home, live rent-free, or receive personal housing assistance such as APL (Aide personnalisée au logement) or ALS (Allocation de logement sociale), the administration does not count the actual amount of your benefit or your lack of rent. Instead, they add a theoretical flat-rate amount to your actual resources, known as the forfait logement (housing flat-rate).
The monthly amounts for the forfait logement as of April 1, 2024 are:
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To better understand the impact of the forfait logement and how C2S is awarded, here are two practical case studies with figures.
Marie lives alone in a studio apartment in Lyon. She receives APL housing assistance of 210 € per month. Her only earned income (from a part-time student job) amounts to 6,500 € net over the last 12 months.
Pierre and Sofia have no children. They own their home and have no mortgage left to pay. Their combined annual resources (net retirement pensions) amount to 17,500 €.
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If your resources fall between the free C2S cap and the paid C2S cap, your financial contribution is calculated solely based on the age of each household member on January 1 of the year the benefit is granted.
| Age of the insured on January 1 | Monthly contribution per person | Daily contribution |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 29 and under | 8 € | 0.27 € |
| From 30 to 49 | 14 € | 0.47 € |
| From 50 to 59 | 21 € | 0.70 € |
| From 60 to 69 | 25 € | 0.83 € |
| 70 and over | 30 € | 1.00 € |
Example: For a couple aged 62 and 65, the total contribution will be 25 € + 25 € = 50 € per month, or about 1.60 € per day for the couple, offering coverage identical to a top-tier private health insurance policy.
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The application for the Complémentaire santé solidaire can be completed online or by post. Here is the step-by-step procedure:
Before starting, prepare the mandatory documents:
1. Your most recent French tax notice (avis d'imposition or ASDIR / simplified tax status statement).
2. For non-EU foreign residents: a copy of your valid residence permit (titre de séjour) or renewal application receipt (récépissé).
3. If you resided abroad during the last 12 months: proof of resources received abroad.
4. A statement of resources from the CAF or MSA (agricultural social mutual fund), if available.
You must choose who will manage your C2S. You have two options:
The CPAM has a legal deadline of 2 months (i.e., 60 days) to review your file from the date a complete application is received.
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Yes. If you are a beneficiary of the Revenu de solidarité active (RSA) (active solidarity income), you benefit from a presumption of eligibility for the free C2S. Except in very specific cases, the application is simplified and the benefit is granted automatically to your entire household, provided you return the application form to your CPAM.
Yes, absolutely. Nationality is not an exclusion criterion. You simply need to prove that you reside in France in a stable manner (for more than 3 months) and legally (with a valid residence permit, a long-stay visa, or a renewal application receipt). Asylum seekers holding an asylum application certificate (attestation de demande d'asile) can also apply under certain resource conditions.
If your resources exceed the paid C2S cap, even by a few euros, your application will unfortunately be rejected. However, you can look into certified private insurance contracts known as contrats responsables (responsible contracts), or request one-off financial assistance from the health and social action department of your CPAM if you are facing urgent and unforeseen medical expenses.
Yes. You retain the free choice of your healthcare professionals. Your primary care doctor (médecin traitant) cannot refuse to treat you on the grounds that you are a C2S beneficiary. Refusal of care directed at a C2S beneficiary is illegal and heavily penalised under both the Code de la sécurité sociale and the Medical Code of Ethics.
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Legal information for guidance only, not personalised legal advice. For your specific situation, ask your question free of charge on AvocatAI — answers based on French law, in your language.