France: fraud agency finds price violations at medical practices

Nearly four in ten healthcare professionals and medical practices inspected across France failed to comply with patient information rules regarding prices, reimbursement levels, and standardized estimates, letelegramme.fr reported on October 12, 2026. The widespread non-compliance emerged from a broad enforcement campaign conducted between 2025 and 2026 by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control.

Enforcement Campaign Targets 1,100 Practices After Public Complaints

The fraud prevention agency launched its investigation after receiving complaints through the SignalConso reporting portal, professional orders, and the national health insurance fund. Investigators examined 1,100 independent practitioners and group medical centers to check the fairness of price displays and mandatory notices.

Dentists Fall Short on Price Displays and Standardized Patient Estimates

Chirurgeons-dentists formed a major focus of the inspections, with 525 practitioners evaluated by authorities. More than half of the dental practices failed to display required price lists in waiting rooms or neglected to provide clear information about their convention status with the health insurance system, which determines patient reimbursement rates. Investigators also found that a quarter of the dentists did not issue mandatory treatment estimates or traceability documents for crowns and implants, or provided documents containing inaccurate details regarding the origin of dental prostheses.

Physicians and Medical Centers Face Fines for Hidden Fees

Investigators also discovered illegal billing practices at collective medical structures, including dental and radiological centers that charged patients simple access fees or administrative costs. In one severe case, an imaging center misled patients into believing they were consulting basic-rate practitioners while three-quarters of its doctors charged extra fee overruns, resulting in a 150,000-euro administrative fine.