You could be wondering if e-cigarettes are reimbursed by Social Security. It would be a nice way of reducing the bill when you're buying your first e-cig kit.
The French public health authorities cover some of the costs associated with the more traditional nicotine substitutes, so are electronic cigarettes reimbursed as well?
Does Social Security reimburse vaping products?
In France, the state has forwarded the idea of reimbursing nicotine substitutes, but what about electronic cigarettes then? Since 2018, the whole range of withdrawal drugs and treatments can be reimbursed up to 65%.
These measures have evolved, as there isn't a 150€ annual cap anymore. Pharmacies can also provide a fee waiver for these products.
Unfortunately, electronic cigarettes are now categorized as tobacco-related products since the implementation of the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). The French healthcare system covers a huge amount of nicotine substitutes, but no vaping products to date.
Therefore, Social Security doesn't reimburse the latter, as they're not considered a drug.
For them to become so, it would require specialized companies to apply for drug marketing authorizations, but these procedures are very expensive, and no company has done so yet.
Electronic cigarettes are not reimbursed by Social Security.
And what about insurance companies?
Social Security might not reimburse your vaping purchases, but health insurance companies think very differently! Indeed, some health insurances cover electronic cigarettes.
Their point of view on vaping clearly isn't the same. It makes sense, really, a policyholder who vapes will most likely cost less to the insurer than a smoker. They won't be ill as much, and their life expectancy will increase.
Therefore, it's in the companies' interest to offer insurance plans that cover the cost of vaping equipment or e-liquids!
Some French insurers like Axa, Maaf, or Groupama already do it, but the terms and conditions of these reimbursements change from one company to another. Depending on the plan you subscribe to, they either reimburse a fixed sum per year or a percentage of your purchases.
They often ask for a medical prescription, though, and sometimes they only cover specific ranges of products.