Yes, but under certain conditions
Yes, sterile compresses are reimbursed by the National Health Insurance, but under certain conditions. A medical prescription is required, and the reimbursement depends on the type of compress and its indication. Here, without jargon, is what is covered, at what rate, and what is not.
Yes, but only with a prescription
Sterile compresses are indeed included on the List of Reimbursable Products and Services (LPP), In Title I, Chapter 3, Section 1 (the section dedicated to articles for bandages). This list, provided for by Article L.165-1 of the Social Security Code, lists all the medical devices supported by French Health Insurance.
The essential requirement to remember: reimbursement only comes with a medical prescription. A box of compresses purchased spontaneously at the counter without a prescription is not reimbursed, even if the product is identical to the one listed on the LPP. It is the prescription that grants the right to reimbursement, not the product itself.
Upon presentation of the prescription, the patient is reimbursed based on the LPP rate, supplemented where applicable by their supplemental health insurance.
How much are sterile gauze pads reimbursed?
Reimbursement is based on a rate set by the National Health Insurance, called the maximum selling price (PLV). This rate depends on the type of compress, its size, and its packaging.
As a concrete example, for a sterile non-woven gauze pad with a size between 56 and 100 cm², the maximum selling price is as follows:
| Period | Maximum selling price (incl. VAT) |
| Until December 14, 2025 | 3,25 € |
| Starting December 15, 2025 | 3,07 € |
| Starting December 15, 2026 | 2,98 € |
These successive decreases result from a tariff revision initiated by the Economic Committee for Health Products, As part of the control of healthcare costs. For all the relevant references (non-woven compresses such as hydrophilic gauze, all sizes combined), the average reduction reaches 14.4 %.
Not all compresses have the same reimbursement value
This is the point that many ignore: the fact that a compress is sterile does not solely determine its reimbursement. Two distinctions matter.
Sterile or non-sterile: what the HAS recommends
Contrary to popular belief, the sterile compress is not systematically the most appropriate. The French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé) recommends the use of non-sterile compresses for cleaning most wounds, including chronic ones, and reserves sterile compresses for specific cases: burns and cleaning healthy skin. The choice is therefore made according to the medical indication, not out of a «sterile = better» reflex.
Gauze or non-woven sponges
Both families are reimbursable and listed in the LPP. Hydrophilic gauze compresses, made of woven cotton, and non-woven compresses, made of synthetic fibers, each have their own reimbursement line with specific rates. The choice depends on the application and the prescription.
How to know if a specific compress is reimbursed?
Since January 1, 2022, reimbursement is based on individual codes assigned by brand, rather than generic codes. In practical terms, each reimbursed reference of a given brand has its own LPP code. Generic codes are now used only to define the technical specifications and the list of indications.
To check whether a specific product is covered, you can consult the Health Insurance LPP database (on ameli.fr), which allows searching by code, description, or chapter. In practice, the pharmacist is best positioned to indicate whether a reference is listed and at what rate.
Summary: reimbursed or not?
| Situation | Refunded? |
| Sterile gauze pads with prescription | Yes, at the LPP rate |
| Non-sterile gauze pads with prescription | Yes, at the LPP rate |
| Over-the-counter purchase | No |
| Compress registered with the LPP under brand code | Yes, if prescribed |
| Compresses not listed in the LPP | No |
For pharmacies and pharmacy groups: A product range challenge
On the professional side, this brand-specific reimbursement mechanism has a strategic consequence. Since each brand has its own LPP code, a group can have its compresses manufactured under its own brand, register them with the LPP under its own name, and thus offer a reimbursable range under its own brand.
Why steam compression is an opportunity for groups
The reduction in LPP prices mainly affects sterile oxygenated gas compresses. Since the end of 2025, steam sterilized compresses have benefited from a nominal LPP registration with a more favorable and stable price until 2027: the reimbursement gap is +8.8 % today compared to the generic OE, and would reach +12.1 % in December 2026. To understand in detail why steam is becoming the preferred alternative, see What to replace the ethylene oxide compresses with.
For a group, a range of white-label steam compresses allows to:
- benefit from a reimbursement rate that is more favorable than the generic one in decline;
- mastering its margin on a product with high rotation;
- stand out with an argument based on the absence of ethylene oxide, which is relevant in neonatology where the absence of CMR residues is a guarantee of safety;
- to keep its affiliated stores loyal to a common brand.
Registering his compresses with the LPP under his own brand
The registration of a white-label range follows three steps: having a compliant product (CE marking, ISO 13485 and MDR 2017/745 manufacturing, steam sterilization validated according to EN ISO 17665); completing the regulatory dossier (ISO 10993 biocompatibility, justification for sterilization, material vigilance); and then submitting the application, the evaluation of which is the responsibility of the HAS and the CEPS pricing policy.
This is an opportunity for differentiation and differentiation, all the more interesting as generic prices are falling. Smart Agents Healthcare supports pharmaceutical groups and laboratories in the manufacture of sterile, non-woven, hydrophilic gauze compresses, sterilized by steam (EN ISO 17665), certified to ISO 13485 and MDR 2017/745.
→ Discover our white-label sterile steam compresses offer
Frequently asked questions
Verified sources
• LPP listing for compresses (Title I, Chapter 3, Article L.165-1): ameli.fr, Légifrance
• Mandatory prescription reimbursement: Mutualib, ameli.fr
• POS advertising rates and 14.4 % decrease (3.25 € → 3.07 € → 2.98 €): CEPS opinion, Le Moniteur des pharmacies (Oct. 2025)
• Individual codes by brand since 01/01/2022: SNDS documentation (Health Data Hub)
• HAS recommendation on non-sterile / sterile compresses (opinion of January 26, 2010): Written Parliamentary Question No. 78694
• Registration of MEDICOMP/STERILUX HARTMANN steam gauze dressings: Order of October 16, 2025 (JORF)
