From 15 June 2026, Assurance Maladie starts covering two injectable obesity medications: Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). Both are GLP-1 analogues. They were originally developed for diabetes, and they work by slowing digestion and increasing the feeling of fullness. Coverage was confirmed by three arrêtés dated 23 May 2026, published in the Journal officiel on 28 May.
The framework is deliberately tight. France had been one of the only Western European countries refusing to reimburse these drugs at scale. The Haute Autorité de Santé recommendation that opened the door comes with strict gating to avoid mass cosmetic prescribing.
Who qualifies
You can claim coverage only if you meet bariatric surgery criteria:
- BMI of 40 or above with no other condition required, or
- BMI of 35 or above with at least one comorbidity (type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, severe hypertension, etc.)
On top of that, you need to have already failed a structured nutritional programme. The threshold is less than 5% weight loss after 6 months of supervised diet and exercise. You must also continue a low calorie diet and physical activity alongside the medication. The drug is not a shortcut around lifestyle work. It is meant to support it.
Who can prescribe
The initial prescription must come from a specialist working in a Centre Spécialisé de l'Obésité (CSO) of level 2 or 3, or a university hospital (CHU), or a Soins Médicaux et de Réadaptation facility. Specialties that count include endocrinology, gastroenterology, diabetology, and nutrition. A regular médecin traitant cannot start the prescription. They can renew it once the specialist has opened the file.
What it means for you
For an Indian person in France carrying weight from family genetics, from pregnancy, or from a shift in diet after moving to France, this is the first real opening into French obesity treatment without paying €200 to €300 per month out of pocket. The medication itself is expensive. A month of Wegovy retails around €270, Mounjaro around €310. The 65% reimbursement makes a real difference.
You still pay 35% unless you have a mutuelle that picks up the rest, or you fall under ALD (long term disease) status, which can lift coverage to 100%.
What to do
- Ask your médecin traitant whether your BMI and any conditions you have meet the criteria, and request a referral to a CSO if so.
- Find your nearest level 2 or 3 CSO via the Ministry of Health centre directory. Most major French cities have one.
- Check whether your mutuelle covers the remaining 35%. Many basic student or first job mutuelles do not. You may want to switch at your next renewal window.
- Do not buy Wegovy or Mounjaro online from foreign pharmacies. The reimbursement only applies to prescriptions filled in French pharmacies.
Source: service-public.fr