This change appeared last December to fight fraud: remote verification of sick-leave status.
A Remote Verification Visit
Indeed, to curb sick days that are deemed abusive, France’s Health Insurance can trigger a verification of the reality of your situation at any time. In practice, it can be done in several ways.
The most traditional method is to require you to attend a verification appointment with a medical advisor at one of its offices, or to send the advisor to your home. It is up to the advisor to determine whether your health status matches what you’ve declared.
Like a telehealth visit
But since December 1, a new method exists: video conferencing. It makes life easier for employees who cannot travel or live far from a physician. After a test in three pilot regions, the system has now been generalized.
How does it work? Two days before the tele-check, you receive an email acting as a summons, indicating the date, time, and connection details. You also receive an SMS. The day before the appointment, you’ll receive another email and another SMS to remind you of your verification appointment. On the day, you simply log in and, just as with a telemedicine visit, allow the medical advisor to assess your health status.
Can you refuse a telehealth check?
In principle, no. If Health Insurance summons you for a tele-check, this summons carries the same weight as an in-person check. Refusing without a valid reason can lead to:
- a suspension of daily allowances,
- or their removal.
However, a legitimate impediment can be taken into account: hospitalization, proven technical incapacity, justified material impossibility. In this case, you must notify immediately and provide supporting documents.
So, it is not “optional.” It is a requirement, just like a traditional check.
What happens in case of a technical problem?
An IT issue can occur: poor connectivity, a failing camera, a platform bug. What matters is your good faith.
If you cannot connect:
- Keep any evidence of the malfunction (screenshots, error messages).
- Contact immediately the service listed in the summons.
- Respond promptly to emails or SMS reminders.
- If the administration finds that your absence is due to a real and reported technical problem, a new appointment can be scheduled.
Conversely, an unreported absence may be treated as a refusal.
Can you be checked multiple times during a sick leave?
Yes. Health Insurance can trigger multiple verifications during the same sick leave, especially if:
- the leave is long,
- it is renewed,
- there is doubt about the medical justification.
The tele-check does not replace other mechanisms: a physical visit can still be scheduled, even after a tele-visit.
In other words, video conferencing is an additional tool, not a single, definitive check.
What to remember
The tele-check is now integrated into the traditional system. It simplifies logistics, but does not change the principle: a sick leave remains subject to verification at any time.
