When you are salaried, your employer is required to take the first steps (declaration of  intent of hiring a salaried scientist, registration request....). Then the scientist must visit his/her local Social Security office (CPAM) to complete the registration (link towards the technical form on the formalities required by salaried personnel).
As a salaried employee, your spouse, children and persons supported by you are automatically affiliated to the general Social Security system only if they do not benefit from any other form of health coverage (for instance, if the coverage by the health system of their country of usual residence does not extend to France). This implies that they will be given health coverage when in France and that their health expenses will be reimbursed. You must visit your local CPAM to register them (link towards CPAM).
If you are not salaried, you can request to be affiliated to the basic universal health insurance (CMU). Your dependents and family members also have a right to this affiliation.
Important : if your family is in France on a short stay " tourist " visa, whether you are salaried or not, your family will not be able to be covered by the French national health insurance system. To register a foreigner, the CPAM requests the presentation of a residency permit mentioning " Scientist " or the notice of request for a residency permit (" Récépissé de demande de carte de séjour "). Since holders of a tourist visa cannot request a residency permit, in the case your family travels with you on a tourist visa, your family members cannot benefit from the French national health coverage. You must contact the health insurance system in your home country to make sure that your family has health coverage that extends to France.

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