Where do we stand on reimbursement for period underwear?
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Time to read 9 min
Updated on 18 December 2025
[ In recent months, the news about reimbursement of period lingerie have continued to evolve. For now, the government has decided to put reimbursement for period panties on hold. We make sure to share the latest information with you. If, despite that, we’ve missed anything, we’re sorry! ]
Maybe you’ve heard about this bill: reimbursement of one pair of period panties for 12–25 year olds! More specifically, since March 2023 the idea has been to reimburse reusable period products for all young women and girls under 25 in France. Note, we’re talking here about reimbursement for washable period products like cups and period panties, not for pads and tampons.
This measure would be a concrete response to **period poverty**. This decree would particularly benefit teens going through puberty and experiencing their first periods, helping them get equipped, as well as students who often have a very limited budget!
Reimbursed and free period products: where do we stand? Washable pads, menstrual panties or menstrual cups—what’s the current situation regarding coverage and reimbursement?
Louloucup recommends the Mathilde heavy and very heavy-flow period panty for you 😍
Which brands of reusable menstrual products are covered in pharmacies and recognized by Social Security? What system has been put in place in pharmacies?
Are the costs of these feminine hygiene products covered elsewhere in the world? Are there grants or subsidies? Myth, misinformation or real support?
In this article, you’ll find:
I – Period poverty: let’s talk about it!
II - Reimbursement for period underwear: for 12–25 year olds
III – Criteria and brands IV – Period underwear reimbursement: what about other countries?
V – And what about top-up insurance and health mutuals in all this?
VI – Reimbursement for period underwear and Louloucup 🩷 Louloucup’s commitments and values
🩷 Facing your period calmly with enough period underwear
🩷 One free pair of period underwear when you buy a bundle of 5 Louloucup products
🩷 The little Louloucup extras that make all the difference for your wallet
To learn more... Want calmer, more manageable periods?
II - Reimbursement for period underwear: for 12–25 year olds
III – Criteria and brands IV – Period underwear reimbursement: what about other countries?
V – And what about top-up insurance and health mutuals in all this?
VI – Reimbursement for period underwear and Louloucup 🩷 Louloucup’s commitments and values
🩷 Facing your period calmly with enough period underwear
🩷 One free pair of period underwear when you buy a bundle of 5 Louloucup products
🩷 The little Louloucup extras that make all the difference for your wallet
To learn more... Want calmer, more manageable periods?
I – Period poverty: let’s talk about it!
Having your period can be expensive! The cost of menstrual and hygiene products represents a real budget for many teenage girls and young women.
Some studies, such as those published in Le Monde, don’t stop at the simple price of period products, but also calculate all the additional expenses linked to menstruation:
- potential painkillers;
- hot water bottles;
- heating belts and any other device in case of painful periods;
- some studies also count panties, underwear, clothes, pajamas, or even sheets that are accidentally stained by periods and need to be washed/changed/disposed of.
Top 3 most affordable Louloucup period panties
II – Reimbursement of period underwear: for ages 12–25
What does French law say about reimbursement for period underwear? Just like the pill, washable menstrual protection (including menstrual cups and menstrual underwear) is reimbursed by Social Security only for women under 26.
To qualify for free reusable period products, you must:
- be under 26 years old;
- having **private health insurance** or being eligible for Complémentaire santé solidaire (C2S);
- another condition is that the period product must be purchased exclusively in a pharmacy. However, no prescription is required.
For policyholders under 26, the French National Health Insurance covers 60% of the cost of menstrual protection (menstrual cup, period panties or washable pad). The remaining 40% may be covered by their supplementary health insurance (mutuelle or private insurer), depending on the coverage and policy taken out.
For women covered by C2S, 100% of the cost is reimbursed.
However, this law was supposed to come into force on 1 September 2024, but no definitive product list or exact terms have been published or made public as of today (March 2025).
Warning: for now, nothing has been officially confirmed. Some brands may use misleading language and make you believe your period panties are reimbursed. Be cautious!
III – Criteria and brands
Not all brands will be eligible for reimbursement. The scheme in place imposes numerous criteria on menstrual product brands. The aim is to offer users products of impeccable quality.
Durable and high-performing, these panties are tested and inspected from every angle. They must prove their strength, absorbency, and reliability.
Panties must also clearly state a composition free from toxic substances (nanoparticles, etc.) and be Oeko-Tex certified. That’s the case at Louloucup! All our period underwear is lined with organic cotton and fully Oeko-Tex certified.
Reimbursement of menstrual underwear at your pharmacy is not yet a reality. However, we’re keeping our fingers crossed and we truly believe that in the coming weeks and months, many teens and young women will finally be able to equip themselves with the best possible products and experience calm, stress-free periods.
IV – Reimbursement for period panties: what about in other countries?
Fighting menstrual discomfort? Providing clear answers for all girls and women who have periods? Beyond France, many countries around the world have taken up this issue, which affects many women. Most often, measures are put in place in schools, high schools and universities to reduce absenteeism among girls.
In August 2022, Scotland passed a law to make tampons and pads freely available to all women. The government had already allowed Scottish high school and university students to get free tampons and pads at their place of study since 2018.
Some US states also provide free period products. This is the case in Ohio, where menstrual products are available in restrooms.
V - And what about supplementary and mutual health insurance?
While France is planning to reimburse one pair of period underwear through Social Security with the help of complementary health insurance, it’s worth knowing that several health insurers already offer reimbursement for one or more period products per year.
Reimbursement depends on the policy you’ve taken out. It may cover period underwear, a menstrual cup or even absorbent fabric pads. The terms vary from one policy to another. Don’t hesitate to ask your advisor or reread the contract you signed.
Once you’ve made your purchase, simply send your invoice to your insurance provider so they can reimburse you. Nothing could be easier!
Good to know: very often we don’t know all the details of the contracts we sign! In addition to partially or fully reimbursing our medical expenses, health insurance plans can also cover some of our more “extra” costs, like contraception (which isn’t always fully covered) or even condoms!
VI – Reimbursement for period underwear and Louloucup
Louloucup didn’t wait for government subsidies to offer period products at the best price and to fight period poverty. What are our commitments, our prices and our offers?
🩷 Louloucup’s commitments and values
Louloucup stands out as one of the washable, eco-friendly period protection brands with the best value for money on the market. We’ve always worked to offer attractive prices to make washable period protection as accessible as possible to everyone: middle schoolers, high schoolers, university students, young working women and new mums in the midst of the postpartum period.
What does this mean in practice? On our online shop, you’ll find a wide collection of menstrual underwear to use during your period instead of tampons and disposable pads. Louloucup offers a broad range of products such as period panties for teens, postpartum panties for new moms, as well as plus-size period panties. This period underwear is washable and reusable. It doesn’t generate waste, so it’s eco-friendly, durable and sustainable. Lined with organic cotton, it’s as comfortable as it is absorbent! They’re a real joy to wear!
You can also find our Loulou cup in two sizes: small and medium!
🩷 Facing your period calmly with enough pairs of period panties
A period panty reimbursed by Social Security is fantastic news! At Louloucup, we’ll never say otherwise. However, you know very well that a single period panty is far from enough to get through your period with peace of mind!
We’ve already mentioned this several times on the blog: you need a certain number of period underwear pieces to cover all your bleeding days. The number of period panties you need depends on how you use them, of course, but also on how heavy your menstrual flow is.
Do you wear period panties day and night or only at night (maybe you prefer to wear a menstrual cup during the day)? Do you have a very heavy or hemorrhagic menstrual flow or rather a light to normal flow?
In any case, you’ll need at least one panty for daytime and one for night. However, you won’t be able to reuse them straight away, as they’ll need to be washed and then left to dry. And tumble‑drying is a no‑go! Air‑drying away from direct heat is recommended.
To keep your period dry and leak-free, with no odor, no saturation and no discomfort, at Louloucup we believe that a **set of five period panties** is a solid foundation, a great starting point for a calm **menstrual routine** and worry-free intimate hygiene.
🩷 One free pair of period panties when you buy a set of 5 Louloucup products
At Louloucup, shopping is simple and stress-free. Fill your cart with your favorite products, choose the size you want, the style you want. Then enjoy the instant discount on each item. The discount is applied automatically in your cart. Because yes, at Louloucup, the more menstrual products you add (panties, menstrual cups or period swimwear), the more you save!
Take a look instead: a period product has a unit price of €28.90 at Louloucup (excluding certain heavy-flow styles). Add two items to your cart and they automatically drop to €26.90 each. Add a third product of your choice and they’re then €25.90 each. With 4 items in your cart, every product in your order costs €24.90. Finally, once you reach 5 products of your choice, each item has a unit price of €22.90.
A bundle with 5 period panties or with 1 cup + 4 period panties is €114.50 instead of €144.50. You save €6.07 per item. Overall, you save €30—the price of a pair of period panties!
When you buy 5 Louloucup items of your choice, you get one item fully refunded, free and on us! A great deal, right?
The little Louloucup extras that make all the difference for your wallet
This great set of menstrual panties at a decreasing price is not the only good news! At Louloucup, delivery is free and offered! No exorbitant shipping fees that ruin the final bill.
And you can save a few extra euros with a promo code, sales or other ongoing offers! So stay tuned—at Louloucup, we always have great deals for you!
FAQ – menstrual underwear reimbursement
How much does a pair of period panties cost?
The price of a washable, reusable period panty can vary quite a bit. The cost depends on the quality of the materials used (organic cotton or not), the style, the look and the absorbency level. Some very heavy-flow period panties may be more expensive than light-flow ones because they have a larger absorbent layer. At Louloucup, a period panty costs €28.90. This price goes down if you add more items to your cart! It’s a sliding-scale bundle price, and it’s really super cool!
What is the average lifespan of period underwear?
Between 5 and 7 years if properly cared for: thorough rinsing in cold water, washing at 30°C, air‑drying, and a deep clean three times a year.
How can you get free period panties?
If you order 5 Louloucup items (any ones!) you get €30 off, which is the equivalent of one pair of period underwear! So you basically get one pair of period panties free when you order 5 menstrual products of your choice from Louloucup.
To learn more...
Camille
Rédactrice depuis plusieurs années pour Louloucup, j'aime papoter aussi bien culotte menstruelle que remèdes de grand-mère pour soulager les douleurs de règles ! Je partage chaque semaine mes coups de cœur et mes inspirations avec un seul objectif : vivre des règles enfin sereines ! 🩷
