November 18, 2025 marks the end of the phased implementation phase of the Vitale card app, two years after its launch. This digital service can now be accessed regardless of health insurance plan and regardless of the type of identity document (passport, physical or electronic identity card, residence permit). This latest wave expands eligibility to residents of Corsica, Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, as well as those in DROM.
Therefore, Health Insurance aims to make the procedure smoother and safer for policyholders. Today, nine out of ten policyholders follow their reimbursements online, and eight out of ten receive prescriptions and results digitally. Digital medical records are even used by 70% of French people, and this figure increases to 76% among the elderly.
Smartphones, the new emergency crutch
Permanent availability is one of the most influential arguments of this tool. A quarter of respondents (25%) in an Ipsos-BVA study commissioned for Health Insurance said they had difficulty finding their Vitale card during an emergency. This figure increases to 37% in older people and peaks at 46% in young adults.
Applications located on smartphones respond directly to this concern. This allows immediate access to rights, even if the physical card is forgotten or lost, which will not be replaced by the device. Additionally, it offers automatic renewal of rights, eliminates the need for travel, and reduces the number of paper maintenance sheets that must be submitted.
Millions of cards are lost or stolen
The practical aspects of digital technology are becoming more relevant as nearly one million Vitale cards are reported lost or stolen annually to the public system. In the event of theft or loss, the insured can quickly obtain a dematerialized version using his social security number, thereby ensuring continuity of support without waiting for the receipt of a new card. However, it is still important to declare the loss to your cash register to block the physical version.
The digital version allows you to instantly view a summary of your latest maintenance invoices, offering real-time spending monitoring. This tool, free and compliant with French and European security standards, is also scalable.
Integration into the digital health ecosystem
Potential app integration will be realized by the end of 2026. Two main features were announced. First, the application can function as an identification tool to connect with other health services, especially My Health Room. Then, integration of additional health insurance will become possible. This development will allow healthcare professionals to make third-party payments directly on the app, which includes mandatory and additional sections.
For activation, policyholders aged 18 years and above can download the application on the mobile platform. The identity process has double security: either by remote verification including video facial recognition validated by a human operator, or via the France Identity app for electronic CNI holders.
Massive use among health professionals
Acceptance by health professionals is well advanced. Nearly 80% of pharmacies located in pilot areas already bill with the application, and about two-thirds use it nationally. The number of professional users (general practitioners, pharmacists, dentists, etc.) is increasing by 5,000 per month. Policyholders can check their receipt in Ameli’s health directory.
The use is simple: after unlocking with a secret code or biometrics, the insured shows his smartphone to the professional. The latter scans the displayed QR Code, or uses an NFC-compatible reader where the user places their phone.
Secure data: hosting in France and local encryption
Data security is the main pillar of the system. The application does not store any medical information, only limited to administrative data (identity, social security number, schema, attachments, invoice summary). Data hosting is exclusively carried out in France, guaranteeing a high level of security in accordance with GDPR.
The activation process, with biometric control or via France Identity, strictly authenticates the insured. Additionally, any use by healthcare professionals requires unlocking with a code or biometrics. Credentials are encrypted and stored locally within the application. In case of theft or loss of the phone, the process is immediate: a statement at the checkout blocks access, and installation on a new device automatically deactivates the old device.
