KathyC

I've had one but in the UK, 25 years ago. Do pm me if I can help at all.

Hi Christine I go away shortly and won't have much internet access. My mobile is 06 11449281 in case there's any news or any arrangements to be made. Best wishes Kathy

[quote user="val douest"]I've sent you a pm, Christine. Val [/quote] That is a really kind suggestion Val but unfortunately none of them are vaccinated or I would've suggested a cattery myself.

Oh what a shame. Do you know what he'll do with the others that are left?

Christine, that's absolutely great; our little old Scottie is fitting in really well, gets on fine with the other cats and the dogs and is really affectionate. Teddy was chipped yesterday and is starting to put on weight and is also fitting in really well. We could probably squeeze in another one but we go away for a week this Saturday and it wouldn't be fair on anybody to just bring him here and dump him with all the other pussies and just someone coming in a couple of times a day to feed him. Do you happen to know anybody who could foster one for a week or so?

Not sure whether it's too early for you to think about it but I wonder if the question of reconstruction's been raised (assuming you're having a mastectomy)? I had this over 20 years ago and can certainly recommend it.

Just a quick update. I now have Teddy and Scotty ensconced under my kitchen cabinets (their choice not mine!) and will let you know how they get on. It's obviously a desperately sad situation there, and not just a case of thoughtless Brits scarpering back to the UK and leaving the cats. The owner's been left a widower and is going to live with family in Australia and obviously can't take the cats with him. They all seem friendly and willing to be stroked/picked up - I wish I could've taken more but we have four already as well as two dogs. I live less than an hour away and if I could help with transporting one for anybody, I'd be quite happy to do so. Please, somebody give a home to some more of them.

I'm on my way over there now - I'll let you know how I get on.

I could certainly take at least one and I'm not far away. Who would I need to contact about it?

I always like the descripton of cornflakes as "a great way to make air stand up"!

[quote user="miznoma7"] Hi KathyC. The issue of mutuelles has me bewildered. I thought that elderly and /or disabled were allowed reduced charges. We are 76 & 63 years old. My partner requires medical attention frequently. He has been taken to emergency enough times without being admitted for lack of beds. This last time following 9 hours of wrangling with the medical staff together with a Doctors letter demanding he be hospitalized at 11 pm they admitted him.His 8 day stay consisted of X-Rays, blood tests and bed rest. I do not believe there was any other tests carried out. For that we were asked for 1400 euros. In total disbelif  I challenged the charge.They said the full cost was in excess of 5000 euros. That was our forfait. I think they plucked that one out of thin air.They said if we were to have 100per cent we would have to ask our Doctor. In the meantime they asked for the minimum payment  subject to Doctors confirmation. Our Doctor replied with "You do not have one of the 30 illnesses listed to qualify" I have since collected forms from CPAM requesting aide. WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!!! [/quote] There are no reductions for elderly/disabled people and, although mutuelles can't charge extra for pre existing conditions, rates do go up the older you are. The amount you were charged seems perfectly normal in my experience. My husband was recently in hospital for 5 days with only 1 x ray and a blood test and the total charge would have been 6,000 euros.If you don't have top up insurance you will have to pay the 30% not covered by CPAM.. My husband is covered for 100% because he suffers from an ALD (COPD) but we still have top up insurance to cover him for anything else that he might need treatment for. I would be seriously worried about not having top up insurance and I am a bit younger than you are;did you deliberately plan not to take out this cover?

You really don't need a special mutuelle if you're elderly or disabled. French insurers aren't allowed to charge extra for pre existing conditions and you don't have to answer any health questions before being accepted.

Just to add to this,although you mention the European Health Card, you also say a couple of years go, so I assume that the E111 still applied. You can use the EHIC for non emergency treatment so this situation wouldn't arise to this extent now.

Don't forget that this exemption doesn't happen automatically and has to be applied for by your medecin traitant. It's also possible to have more than one ALD registered. In my husband's situation, some of his "borderline" medications are sometimes included and sometimes not. As these are only a couple of euros a month we've never argued it and the top up insurance picks up the balance anyway.

We're in a similar situation and have corresponded with Benjamin about it. My husband would've been eligible for AA from about 6 months before we left the UK but as it was  non exportable, we didn't bother applying! We put in an application when all these changes became public but found we'd left the UK 3 months before the relevant date so are unable to comply with the 26/52 rule. We seem to have missed the boat twice! At the moment I'm trying to find out how they assess living in the UK and/or how they would know whether we'd been back for a couple of longish visits after we became resident here. Other than that it's going to mean waiting a couple of years (I hope it's as long as that) and claiming under the special rules. Regarding claiming from France, I was under the impression that these sort of benefits were means tested here. Although we have two teachers' pensions, we also have a mortgage which, I believe, isn't taken into account. I appreciate that our situation is unusual but I'm open to any suggestions as to how to proceed.