Declaring a Primary Care Doctor

Declaring a primary care doctor with CPAM allows you to benefit from the best reimbursement for medical care, within the coordinated care pathway. This declaration can usually be made online or directly with the doctor, but a written letter remains useful in certain cases.

This page explains how to make this declaration, what information to provide, and offers a ready-to-use letter template, plus a tool to automatically generate your personalized letter.

When should you write this letter?

• You recently changed your primary care doctor;
• You want to declare a primary care doctor for the first time;
• You had difficulty declaring online;
• Your previous primary care doctor stopped practicing;
• You need written confirmation of this declaration.

In all these cases, a written letter remains a reliable way to update your file.

Required information to include

• Your first and last name and social security number;
• The name of the new primary care doctor;
• The date this declaration takes effect;
• The reason for the change if any.

The more accurate this information is, the faster your declaration will be processed.

Official letter template

Important note: the letter sent to CPAM must be written in French, as it is a French administration. Below is a template you can use as a basis.

[First name LAST NAME]
[Full address]
[Social security number]

CPAM of [Department]
[CPAM address]

Written in [City], on [Date]

Subject: Primary care doctor declaration

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am informing you of the designation of Dr. [name] as my primary care doctor, effective [date].

[...]

→ The complete letter, tailored precisely to your situation and ready to send, is generated automatically in 3 minutes using the tool above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the benefit of declaring a primary care doctor?

It ensures the best reimbursement for medical care within the coordinated care pathway, reducing out-of-pocket costs.

Can I freely change my primary care doctor?

Yes, you can change your primary care doctor at any time with a new declaration.

What happens if I don't declare a primary care doctor?

Reimbursements will be lower when consulting specialists without a referral from a primary care doctor.

Does the primary care doctor need to be a GP?

Often yes, but sometimes a specialist can be chosen as the primary care doctor depending on the case.

How long does it take to activate the declaration?

Usually a few days after receiving the declaration from the doctor or online.