French Phrase
Ce médicament est remboursé ?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the drug in question will be reimbursed by the health‑insurance system or the patient’s mutuelle. It implies a concern about cost and coverage.
When to use
Use this sentence at a pharmacy, during a medical appointment, or when discussing a prescription with a health‑insurance advisor. It is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, though the tone is slightly more conversational because it uses a simple intonation question.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cemédicamentestremboursé?
Ce (demonstrative adjective)
Used before a singular masculine noun to point out something specific; it agrees in gender and number with the noun.
Est (être, present)
Third‑person singular present of the verb ‘être’; links the subject to a predicate adjective.
Remboursé (past participle as adjective)
The past participle of ‘rembourser’ used as an adjective; it agrees with the noun (masc. singular → ‘remboursé’).
Question formation without inversion
In spoken French, a simple rising‑intonation question can be formed by adding a question mark after a declarative sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Ce médicament est remboursé ?
Is this medication reimbursed?
Oui, il est pris en charge à 65 % par la Sécurité sociale, le reste à votre mutuelle.
Yes, it is covered 65 % by Social Security, the rest by your supplementary insurance.
✕Common Mistakes
Ce médicament est rembourse ?
‘Rembourse’ is the present‑tense verb form; you need the past participle ‘remboursé’ when it functions as an adjective.
Ce médicament est‑il remboursé ?
The inversion form is correct, but the original sentence is a spoken‑style question without inversion; using both ‘Ce’ and inversion together sounds overly formal.
Ce médicament sont remboursé ?
‘Sont’ is the third‑person plural of ‘être’; the subject ‘médicament’ is singular, so the verb must be ‘est’.
↔Alternatives
Ce traitement est‑il remboursé ?
Is this treatment reimbursed?
Ce médicament est‑il couvert par l'assurance ?
Is this medication covered by insurance?
Ce médicament sera-t-il remboursé ?
Will this medication be reimbursed?
Cultural Tip
In France, reimbursement rates are set by the ‘Assurance Maladie’ and vary from 15 % to 100 % depending on the drug’s classification on the ‘liste des médicaments remboursables’. When asking about reimbursement, it’s polite to use the formal register (e.g., ‘est‑il remboursé ?’) in a pharmacy or with a health‑insurance representative. Also, keep in mind that the word ‘remboursé’ can refer to the whole cost or just the portion covered by the public system; clarifying the percentage is common practice.