long term incapacity benefit & reviews

[want2move09]

I am in receipt of long term incapacity benefit and  I am hoping to move to France with my husband  this time next year and will qualify for E121 I think it is. My next incapacity benefit review is March 2009 which I still anticipate being in the uk for; however when we move to france who does the reviews, does anyone know the process?

[mooky]

Hello

I had my IB transferred to France when I moved here.

Every year near to the anniversary of my coming to France I would recieve an invatation from CPAM to come to a review.

It felt a bit daunting, especially as my french wasn't and isn't up to medical terms. A CPAM doctor would ask me questions about my physical health. Can I stand up, sit down, was I incontinent, all sorts of things. All seemed a bit irrelevant to me, as I was on IB because of depression. Fortunatley I have a medical background so I wasn't to daunted. I did take a friend as interpretor for me the first year, but all questions where addressed to her instead of me, and she ended up not involving me at all. The 'does she take sugar syndrome'. All my reviews were conducted in French. Well I do live here. I did find it quite difficult getting my emotional side over in another language.They wont provide translators, as UK do.

You sign a form and await a decision from UK. Usually about a month. My doctor here also had to fill in a form without asking me any questions. Just take every appropiate form regarding your health with you also medication. These reviews where conducted at Niort as I live in dept 79.

After one review the CPAM doc said to me in broken English. I think you have satisfied me you are mad! Not the first time I have had a french medical person say mad instead of depression or have a mental health problem.

Bon courage

 

 

[want2move09]

thanks for taking the time to reply to me. Yes it does seem a bit daunting, and hopefully they will give me a long review date as this one was about 2 years. I will certainly have to get my medical terminology up to scratch or make a close personal french friend who I don't mind knowing the ins & outs of my problems. Or possibly find a translator who could accompany me, I am sure there must be some around that do not charge an astronomical rate.

[cooperlola]

You can take a translator with you.  We know of one lady who has just had her IB revoked after such a review.  She speaks excellent French so went in alone.  In retrospect, she wishes she had taken the translator option, if only so that she had had a witness present, and thus more evidence for her appeal.  Bear in mind that if you lose your IB, you will lose your E121 and if this happens before you have been here for 5 years or have reached UK state retirement age, you will probably have to either find work or go back to the UK, as private health insurance is unlikely to be an option for you.

If your condition is one which is likely to improve at some time in the future, you must think very carefully before sinking everything you have into France.  Sorry to sound like the harbinger of doom, but it is best to be prepared for the worst, imo.

[want2move09]

I doubt very much if my ICB would be revoked as my condition is not likelt to improve, however if that were to happen my husband would actually be at retirement age then so I could become his dependant on his E121. I think I am right with my way of thinking. I do think you are right in taking a fluent french speaker with me tho for any reviews, so thanks, I do appreciate your comments and advice.

[cooperlola]

Although I am sure that you would prefer to get better - it does sound to me as though you will be fine, too.  Good luck with your plans.[:)]