CMU cancelled from 1st October '09 - Help!

[JulieP]

Hi,

On Saturday morning we received a letter regarding our CMU (Protection de base) application where they are stopping our cover from 1st October '09 - giving us just 2 working days to sort this!  The letter is very short but basically states... 'pour le motif suivant : vous avez une activité qui relève du régime des non-salariés'.

Our situation is this...

• We are my husband (64) and myself (45) been living here since March '04 and have 2 gites giving a small income.
• My husband receives 2 private pensions totalling just over £300 per month.

• Last year the our local tax office insisted we register with them - Régime fiscal de la micro-enterprise with a Siret number.  This we did but suspect because of this we are now classed as 'self-employed' and are therefore not entitled to CMU even though our total income including gite rental and the 2 small private pensions is under the qualifying amount for CMU.
• My husband will be 65 in March 2010 and be drawing a full UK state pension via the E121 - just 6 months away!

Have tried the English Speaking helpline (0820 904212) but it doesn't seem to be working.

Before we do anything today does anyone have any idea of why we have been refused and how we may resolve this issue?

Julie

[Sunday Driver]

I think your CPAM are saying that now you are self employed, you have to obtain your healthcare benefits through another caisse, ie through RSI.

There is no qualifying amount as such for CMU de base - you have it because you aren't registered through another obligatory healthcare insurance.  Once you transfer to the other caisse, they will provide your health cover so you no longer need cover under CMU de base. 

Note that if your taxable income is below 11,282€ then you can apply for CMU complimentaire through your new caisse. 

 

 

[JulieP]

Thank you for your comments Sunday Driver. 

We were aware that we 'should be' entitled to CMU Complimentaire but when we applied a couple of years ago we were refused... I didn't pursue it and we continue to pay top-up via Exclusive Healthcare at over 1000€ per year. 

It's interesting what you mention about RSI but have no idea how we go about going down this route.  Do you know where we go to apply for RSI?

Julie

[Sunday Driver]

You can obtain full details here:

http://www.le-rsi.fr/

 

 

[LisaJ]

Julie, you need to check what documentation you have from your original business registration. When we set up our micro-entreprise we did it at the Chamber of Commerce and they informed RSI. We then had to go to RSI with loads of documentation and eventually we got a social security number and an attestation for our health "caisse". We are still waiting for our Cartes Vitales two years later, but you are covered from the date of your registration, even if it takes a while to get the forms through so you can claim money back for health expenses. Of course you also have to pay the contributions (cotisations) for your health cover, pension, maternity etc. Also be aware that once you are in the French system, you do not get an E121. You have to get RSI to claim your state pension for you from Newcastle and your health cover comes from the French social security system ever after.We have found that we can only get things done if we go to RSI in person.

Good luck!

regards

L

[JulieP]

Sounds very complicated but we'll give it a shot by going into the RSI office in Perigueux this afternoon to try to sort it.

 I'll report back later!

[NormanH]

This seems perfectly normal, even if it has come rather  suddenly for you.

People who work or run a business in France are not covered by the CMU which is not 'the French NHS'as it is so often misrepresented.

I will not labour the point here, as I have often expressed it before.

The normal situation is that you contribute to the appropriate 'caisse' and you get the health cover provided by that 'caisse'.

It seems that the French authorities are simply 'regularising' the situation, now that you have registered as a business.

'le motif suivant : vous avez une activité qui relève du régime des

non-salariés'.  means that having a  business means that you don't

count as an employee, so you need to be covered by a different 'régime';

probably as has already been said the RSI.

You should probably have registered with them before, in which case you wouldn't have had this sudden shock

Once you have a cover from a French régime you can forget about the CMU and E forms.

[JulieP]

Latest...

We went to RSI and the lady instructed us to go to the Chamber of Commerce. Went to the Chamber and was informed although it will take months to sort we will be covered Health wise from 1st October, we're going back tomorrow for a rendevous to get the ball rolling.

Thanks for all your help.

[Sunday Driver]

Good result.....[:)]