[orwin]

More than a week for a doctor? It is possible in large city, especially if you don't want (or can't afford) to pay a premium (at least in Paris). Never had any troubles in Munich, Liege, Lille or Rennes though.

The premiums are not really fair for the people living in those cities, but with the square meter price, it is understandable that cost increase for medecine too.

But if you think you have an emergency (and no money), you can still get to a hospital (at least in France). University hospitals are great too (if you have one nearby), because if your affliction is weird, you'll get some of the best doctors available to help you. Clermont-Ferrand dental surgery speciality saved two of my teeth when i was 16 and my mother on minimal income for the grand total of 0€. Any private dentist would not have bothered and have removed those two and replaced then with false ones (the teeth were stuck into the jaw bones if you want details), for probably much more.