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CAN MY MOTHER BUY THE RIGHT TO OWN A CARTE VITAL?


glacier1
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Hi there!

I've posted here before regarding my mother, she's 58 years old, she'll be automatically covered by the carte vital when she's 60, but she's living with here with me now as she loves the lifestyle and culture.  Unfortunally she's had a few health problems towards the end of last year/start of this year.  She broke her wrist falling in the shower (with shampoo on the floor and in the eyes).  4 months later she slipped on loose gravel ourside our house running after our small dog when a fast car came speeding down the road, this time she broke her arm close to her shoulder.  She is not normally accident prone and needless to say this has knocked her confidence back tons. 

We want to start a business here, but alas, a sale we were counting on in the UK fell through, so we are yet again stuck.  I'm ok, I've worked here years and I will continue to contribute thus providing me with automatical health cover. 

As for my mother, well, that is another story!  She's under (only just) the "right" age for retirement here.  She still needs her heart tablets (after a heart by-pass) and colestorol.  They are cracking down in the UK with pescriptions and she has enough for 3 months. 

I have posted a thread like this before, but the only answers were to get a UK based international health coverage.  I did contact them, but they did not call me back, or email me back, they just took the details and that was it, nothing came of it. 

My long winded point is, IF FRANCE HAS CHANGED THE LAWS RE: CARTE VITAL, THEY "SHOULD" RESERVE THE OPTION FOR PEOPLE TO PURCHASE A CARTE VITAL?

Has anybody here asked this question?  Or know anything about this?  If we could "buy into" the health system for 2 years I would not have to worry for my mother.  I will ask this question to my mayor, as she's a bit of a cruisader of human rights (she helps people less well off with laws and rights in her part time).  I will see if she could find something out for us. 

My second question is this: IF WE CAN'T BUY A RIGHT TO OWN A CARTE VITAL, ARE THERE ANY FRENCH BASED MEDICAL SERVICES WHICH OFFER PRIVATE HEALTH COVERAGE?  I say French because the British or American based companies didn't help me the last time. 

My point is, if they change the law, they should have a clause that helps people who just fall short of the minimum age?

Thanking you in advance for your thoughts.

Concerned of Tain L'Hermitage

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    Well, it's a truly lovely idea, but the reality is that we used to pay into the system and the change in law has put an end to this very thing.  If it had just been about money, we wouldn't have made such a fuss but it was not.  Nobody whom I knew of ever resented paying into the system - we just objected to being unable to live here if we had long term health problems which prevented us from legally living here because we could not get cover from any source.  The answer was a big fat no for anybody arriving after November 2007 and we've had no luck changing things for those people.  The official answer is that you know the new rules so you can't live here unless you comply.  It's sad, it's immoral, it's wrong - yes I agree (although many don't) but it's the way it is.  You could appeal via the EU but I think  that's your only option. The French government doesn't want to know and - for reasons I have explained before - there is diminishing support for this cause amongst those already established here.

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I thought there was a list of medical conditions that gave you a percentage of treatment. My brother is under 60 and had a stroke before moving to France and was able to get a Carte Vital, he moved to France Oct5/6th 2007. I will be 60 this month and will get my State Pension and my husband can piggyback of my E121 but would still be able to get a Carte Vital in his own right as he has a heart condition that is listed. I do hope that I am correct can someone tell me if I'm not.
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Just so long as he registered with the system before November 26th 2007, your brother is fine and dandy and can stay in it.  He will get 100% cover for his stroke related problems, provided his doctor has agreed this.  Your own rights are dependent upon the date you registered with the system - your o/h's illness is not the qualifying factor here but the date of first registration is.  If you registered after the due date, then your o/h is better off piggy-backing on your E121 once his own E106 (assuming he has residual cover) has run out. In fact, if he does not, he cannot stay here if you came after November 26th, unless he finds comprehensive private health insurance covering his problems.  That's the sad reality of the situation for newcomers now. 

(Post edited.)

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Are you saying that my husband won't be covered for his heart condition. but he will be my dependant on my E121. I have just spoken to State Pensions in Newcastle upon Tyne and they say he will get 70% or what a French National would get. Am I correct in thinking that he has to get top up insurance for the other 30%, or do we both have to get top ups. I will be regestering with a doctor as soon as I get to France which will be some time in early May. Also has the rule like in my brothers case not applicable any more, I didn't know it had changed also along with DLA ruling
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I think your way off with the thought of being able to buy a carte vitale, but......

If she is living with you, and you can show her as a dependent, then they should be able to cover her under your contributions, worth a try I guess.

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Right! :D thanks for all these replies!  Seems like a very topical issue with us Brits living here.  It is very unfair, and saying the truth about my mother's conditions and need for coverage doesn't get me far!  I just get a blank "no" from most people I speak to.  We are Brits, ie European, we live in France, ie Europe.  As EUROPEANS we SHOULD be covered under 1 medical umbrella.  Someone should stand up and make their case, this is very unfair for those who buy houses here, pay tax etc......we should be given an option to get into the system.  OK so it's overloaded, big deal!  Have you seen the NHS!  And still we take on foreign nationals coming into the UK.  To coin an American expression, it sucks! 

The pigiback idea is a good one to try, I am going to look into this avenue of aproach, if my mother doesn't get her medications, she will become seriously ill, and maybe die.  This is no joke for me, like thousands of Brits living in France I think we have the right to be worried about this turn of events!  Do they not realise that this stamps all over our human rights?

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Rockstitch, if you get cover under an E121 then your husband can piggy back and will be covered also.  But you must ask the DWP for a dependent's form to be issued in his name.  He will get 100% for any ALD (see my post above for the list of what these are) if his doctor agrees and 70% for anything not related to it/them.  If he receives DLA at present, he can get an E121 based upon that, and he will be covered 100% for everything.  However, don't be fooled because 100% only means 100% of the tarrif conventionee and there can be other costs on top (not to mention those not related to any ALD) so top-up cover can be useful and it can be cheaper for those with an ALD (because the insurance company pays less.)  All you need to know is (hopefully) covered on our website - my link below.

Glacier you know I do agree with you, but having put so much energy into getting as far as we did for existing residents, the campaign ran out of steam for newcomers.  What happens in the future is in the hands of those who are prepared to stand up and be counted, twas ever thus.

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As bizarre and unfair as it may seem, universal state healthcare is not a right in the so-called civilised world even though you (and I) may think it should be.  You only have to look across the Atlantic to appreciate that.  And the more of us there are and the older the population gets, the less of a possibility this becomes.  Thus the EU does not impose an across border health policy.  All it does is to give you minimum guaranteed rights; much else is left to the country in question. AFAIK, at the last count, Austria was one of the few original member states which guaranteed these rights to all EU citizens.  In most other places there are restricitions placed on all citizens until they either contribute through working or have lived in a country for five years or more and been self-supporting in that time.

I know that there are MEPs who believe that there should be a Europe wide policy on health but for many I think this is one more place where contries prefer to decide for themselves what the minimum standards should be.  In Holland, for example, private healthcare is becoming increasinly the  norm, and this may happen elsewhere.  Although I believe that the new entrants such as Poland and the like, had to guarantee free healthcare to all EU citizens (although don't quote me as this is heresay and may well be incorrect even lthough the source worked for the European parliament) in order to be allowed in.

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[quote user="tj"]

I think your way off with the thought of being able to buy a carte vitale, but......

If she is living with you, and you can show her as a dependent, then they should be able to cover her under your contributions, worth a try I guess.

[/quote]

 

Have a look at the AMELI website for the rules regarding Ayant Droit - from my reading of it, your mother should be covered if she is living under your roof, does your housework and helps educate your children (I am not certain of this translation but I am sure someone can help)

http://www.ameli.fr/assures/droits-et-demarches/par-situation-professionnelle/vous-etes-sans-emploi/vous-etes-a-la-charge-d-8217-un-assure/etre-ayant-droit.php

 

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Thanks for that!  I think I see a way I can use the French law to my advantage!  I will keep you posted on how it turns out!  Thanks everybody for your replies, much apreciated!

[quote user="tinabee"][quote user="tj"]

I think your way off with the thought of being able to buy a carte vitale, but......

If she is living with you, and you can show her as a dependent, then they should be able to cover her under your contributions, worth a try I guess.

[/quote]

 

Have a look at the AMELI website for the rules regarding Ayant Droit - from my reading of it, your mother should be covered if she is living under your roof, does your housework and helps educate your children (I am not certain of this translation but I am sure someone can help)

http://www.ameli.fr/assures/droits-et-demarches/par-situation-professionnelle/vous-etes-sans-emploi/vous-etes-a-la-charge-d-8217-un-assure/etre-ayant-droit.php

 

[/quote]
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