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French healthcare questions


Mrs B
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Hi there

Apologies if this has been asked many times before... we would like to make the bold move across the channel next year but the French healthcare seems to a bit of a minefield hence we have various questions :-

1. Have been working so we understand, would qualifiy for E106/S1 which lasts two years.We're 54 & 59 so neither would be 65 in two years to qualify for free retirement healthcare so what are our options after the two years are up?

2. in the two years whilst we have the E106/S1, understand we still do need top-up healthcare insurance cover. If so, what kind of cover should we be asking for and from whom please - English or French insurance companies? would prefer English speaking if possible as we are still learning the language so not totally conversant and slightly concerned we may misunderstand complicated legal or medical terminologies

3. Also, generally speaking, how much should we budget for healthcare expenses eg prescriptions, hospital care, investigations etc hubby has onging medication for cholesterol, reflux annd also osteo-arthritis

Thanks in advance, Mrs B  

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Hi and welcome to the forum.

Depending on timing it's possible to get an E106/S1 for up to 30 months. It normally runs from December to January so if you applied in say for March it would already be 3 months into the year and therefore run out in Dec 2013 or after only 21 months. In the worst case, if you applied say in November or December, you might get a mere 13 months !

Applied for somewhere around the middle of the year you can get the remainder of that year plus the two following, hence 30 months. This would be on the assumption that you had paid the minimum number of NI contributions in the tax year in which you applied. DWP can advise.

When your E106 runs out you have 2 choices, possibly 3 but I'll come to that in a moment.

Firstly you can take out private insurance. This must be comprehensive and may well be subject to verification by the authorities if and when you get to 5 years residence which entitles you to join the system without other qualification. The problem here is that with pre-existing conditions you will find it virtually impossible to obtain such cover and if exclusions are imposed then the policy will fail the test of being comprehensive. Not something you want to find out after your 5 years!

Secondly you can start a business of some sort which, under the current rules anyway, would get you health cover but this is not to be entered into lightly as it can have unanticipated and far reaching consequences.

Thirdly, and so far very tenuously, France has been taken to task by the EU for denying inactifs health care so there may, at some time, just be a way into it by that route bit it's still very much up in the air and you would be ill advised to take a flyer hoping that it was all settled in your favour for when your E106 ran out.

A top up is optional as has been said but is only really applicable if you are in the French system in the first place. If you had comprehensive private insurance there would be no need for it of course and I'm not sure it would be available to you anyway.

Costs for dental treatment and spectacles are high in France and in general only the top end Mutuelle's really go any way to covering them.

As a broad guide to Mutuelle costs see here: http://www.exclusivehealthcare.com/pdf/2012_Plans_Comp_Bens.pdf

All in all not too rosy a picture I'm afraid and it has the be said that since 2007 France has become somewhat less accommodating to inactif' Brits.

I don't suppose hubby is on IB is he, that would change everything ?

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This is from the NHS web site, I have put the link below. I must say that there are inaccuracies on their site, but I don't think that this is inaccurate at the moment, is it? If the E106 runs out quite quickly?

 

If you do not meet the rules for form E106 yourself, and cannot be covered as a member of the family of someone who you depend on and live with, you may be able to pay voluntary contributions to the state sickness insurance scheme of the country you move to. This depends on the law of that country. If not, you will have to take out private medical insurance. In most other EEA countries, you must prove that you have adequate healthcare cover before you will get a right of residence.

http://goo.gl/CVMJO

 

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Many thanks AnOther and idun, for the guidance which will give us much to think of and decide before taking the plunge! Starting a business not an option for us so that leaves us two - we'll do our sums etc now to see if we can afford the leap across the channel

Many thanks again, Mrs B  

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My E106 only lasted 18 months and I have been trying to get in the system since Jan last year.Still cannot get in.

I have paid nearly 4000 euros so far just for hospitalisation cover only.

Sorry forgot to add I will be 65 in Sept so I will get my S1.
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As it happens our 5 year anniversary is coming around in Oct/Nov by (which time I WILL be retired [:D]) but I won't be a test case I'm afraid as I'll be transferring onto a normal E106 after my workers E106 runs out and even then it's only about 8 months after that my OH finally gets to claim her OAP and thereby her E121 onto which I will piggyback and then we are home and dry job done !

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Bit confused about some aspects of healthcare in France, so need someone to point the way.

Assuming that we are in our mid fifties and have taken early retirement. We get government pensions to the value of £30,000 and have savings of £50,000. Because we are both fit and well we can get private health insurance until we are eligble to apply for Health Care in France.

Now we can get information about Top-up health insurance, but what else do we have to pay for health cover. and at todays figures approx how much would that be. We will not be looking for to do any work.

Cheers.

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How long is a piece of string, I don't know that too many here are actually on private insurance so I think your answer may have to come from obtaining quotes from French insurance companies.

FWIW I have AXA PPP private health cover through my UK employment, as a corporate scheme it carries the option to continue the same cover after ceasing employment and out of interest I obtained a quotation (62 & 60 years old) and it came to out to about £1600/qtr. !

If you have fully comprehensive private health cover by definition you will have no need of a top up.

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[quote user="AnOther"]How long is a piece of string, I don't know that too many here are actually on private insurance so I think your answer may have to come from obtaining quotes from French insurance companies.

FWIW I have AXA PPP private health cover through my UK employment, as a corporate scheme it carries the option to continue the same cover after ceasing employment and out of interest I obtained a quotation (62 & 60 years old) and it came to out to about £1600/qtr. !

If you have fully comprehensive private health cover by definition you will have no need of a top up.
[/quote]

My mistake, should have explained better that we're trying to find out how much (if anything) we would have to pay to the State for Health care, once the 5 year qualifying period has expired and we are in the French system. Or if we were in the system now, not working and  thankfully fit and healthy, apart from Top up Health Insurance how much would we have to pay for 'stste' health cover.

Cheers

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In a word, nothing.

When you are in the system - and you are either in or not - then regardless of whether it be by E form, via employment,  or after 5 years residence, you are entitled to the same level of cover as a French citizen. Normally that is reimbursement of 70% of the base state rates or 100%  for treatment related to registered chronic ailments. Some doctors and specialists charge above the base rate which is why you have mutuelle's offering 100%, 150% and up to 300% policies and which you choose is up to you.

Over and above this there is nothing else to pay to actually be in the system.

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It is also widely reported that savings and lifestyle are starting to be used when assessing contributions for CMU, not just 'income' - so that people who have a tiny pension income but significant savings and investments, who live mainly off their capital, are being charged at the same sort of rate as a person on a moderate income.

I have to say, it scares me the number of people who are blithely building their plans around being allowed into the system just like that after the 5-year qualifying period. Is the govt. really going to suddenly drop all resistance and welcome everyone with open arms, if it can find a way round it?
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[quote user="EuroTrashII"]

I have to say, it scares me the number of people who are blithely building their plans around being allowed into the system just like that after the 5-year qualifying period. Is the govt. really going to suddenly drop all resistance and welcome everyone with open arms, if it can find a way round it?[/quote]

This is an EU rule I believe not just French.

Personally I'd be more worried about retraining health care via a nebulous tactical AE [blink]

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AnOther - your post also makes it sound as if people who are in the system by virtue of working, don't have to pay anything to be in it!!! Maybe should clarify that it is only people on an S1 who get in "free".

(sorry - keep posting at the same time

and yes I agree about the tactical AE)
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[quote user="AnOther"]In a word, nothing.

When you are in the system - and you are either in or not - then regardless of whether it be by E form, via employment,  or after 5 years residence, you are entitled to the same level of cover as a French citizen. Normally that is reimbursement of 70% of the base state rates or 100%  for treatment related to registered chronic ailments. Some doctors and specialists charge above the base rate which is why you have mutuelle's offering 100%, 150% and up to 300% policies and which you choose is up to you.

Over and above this there is nothing else to pay to actually be in the system.

[/quote]

Only the massive côtisations from earnings that working French people and their employers pay every month, or the several thousands that the NHS pay to the French system for those on an S1

The'tactical AE' at leasts get people into the system by making some sort of effort. If that changes they will simply have to pay contributions to stay in.

Those who insist on remaining 'inactif' can't complain if their inactivity doesn't bring results.

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[quote user="NormanH"]Only the massive côtisations from earnings that working French people and their employers pay every month, or the several thousands that the NHS pay to the French system for those on an S1[/quote]

The OP has not stated any intent to work in France and as NHS contributions are not costs out of their pocket neither fall within the inquiry.

That said from another thread it seems likely that they will have to go AE after their E106 expires in which case the flat rate cotisations on that will cover their health. The time they may have to pay 8% will come when they reach UK state retirement age and begin to receive their pensions but that is a few years off yet.

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