Prescription Exemptions?

[Raini]

Hi Everyone

My husband and myself are looking at the possibility of taking early retirment to France within the next 5 years.

However I get my prescriptions free in the UK as I hve an exemption certificate, because I have an under active Thyroid.

I cannot find any information regaring free prescriptions in France.[8-)]

Is there anyone who knows the answer to this please?

Raini [:)]

[Clair]

There is no similar scheme for under-active thyroid in France.

Medicines prescribed for long term conditions as described HERE are free of charge.

Medicines prescribed for other conditions (unrelated to the above) carry varying charges.charges

[cooperlola]

Under new regulations, newly arrived inactive early retired non-French Europeans cannot have access to the French healthcare system.  You may be entitled to  benefits via an E106 (which lasts up to 30 months), depending upon your national insurance contribution record.  After that, you must get full private health insurance, which has to cover everything including doctors' visits, medicines, hospital care, physio, etc, etc - a full list can be found here:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006073189&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006742909&dateTexte=20080324

The problem you have is that no private health insurer will cover you for your thyroid medicine.  Unless you have that cover, you cannot legally live in France without an E form these days, if you have a chronic condition.  That is the harsh reality.  You have the option to get work or start a business, and pay full French social security contributions, then you can get the health cover a French person has.

Otherwise, you will have to postpone your retirement until you are with E106 distance of UK state pensionable age, when you will be entitled to an E121 which means that you will get the same benefits as a French person (generally a 70% refund of the costs for most things.  The majority of people then have a "top up" insurance policy to pay for the shortfall.)

I am sorry the news is so grim, but that is the way things stand at the moment.

For further information, please visit our website:

www.frenchhealthissues.eu

[Raini]

Hi

Thank you both for your prompt answers and information sent.

Not the answer I was hoping for! [:(]

I fully understand what you are saying about the Health Cover, but does this mean that we would not be able to pay privately for my presciption either?

Raini[:)]

[flittle]

On a more positive note, the cost of thyroid medication is not expensive;  Levothyrox 125 for a 28 days supply costs 3euros 10c.  A visit to the doctor, to get the prescription, costs 22 euros.   So the thyroid issue in itself is not a great financial constraint.  The wider issue of health care in general has been discussed in depth in other threads. Possibly you should spend some time reading as much as you can on the subject. French News and The Connexion give plenty of information although it would make sense to verify it elsewhere.

Frank

[Raini]

Hi Frank

Thank you, I have been on the net trying to find out more regarding this matter. I was worried that maybe I would have a problem getting the prescription.

However I have found that I could buy from the internet if need be. I was worried that because of my dependancy on this medication,(and that Private Health Insurance would not cover me for it) I would not be allowed to enter France until nearer normal retirement age. However we could afford the cost of the drug privately.

I am now smiling again![:D]

Thank you all.

Raini[:)]

[Nickel]

But ...... as Coops says you still need a comprehensive health insurance policy. Will the fact that you have hypothyroidism make that difficult to obtain, whether you can pay for the medication or not?

On a more positive note it is easily and cheaply controlled so a nice friendly insurance company (????) may cover. 

[cooperlola]

Nickel is right - do read THIS very carefully.  Unlike the present, from now on newcomers will have to register at the mairie, and to do so must prove full health cover and minimum income requirements.  The cost of the meds may be covered if you shop around for insurance, it is true, but they must also agree to cover any costs which may arise from your condition - this could be the sticking point.  Research this VERY carefully before you make any moves you cannot get out of.

[maude]

On the same theme.What is the permissable period of ongoing prescriptions.Our doc.says that by French law he can only prescribe the thyroxine tablets to cover 2 months.Our friend,4 miles away gets her repeat prescription for 3 months!!!!same dosage of thyroxine.Although my treatment has been stable for many years,I still have to see and pay  the doc.,for a repeat presciption.Could it be I muse,another way of maintaining his own income.As usual it seems to be different interpretations/different doctors.!!!       Maude

[Clair]

I get a prescription for three months for blood pressure and thyroxine tablets.

In the case of the blood pressure tablets, I can get a single box for the 3 months, thus saving €1.00 on the new €0.50 charge per box, but I still have to go to the chemist every month for the thyroxine tablets, as the manufacturer does not make a similar box.

[Sunday Driver]

My regular heart pills prescription states 'renewable three times', so I get four goes before I need to go back to him. 

Perhaps your specific condition requires a more frequent check up by the doctor...?

 

[Tony F Dordogne]

I spoke to my generalist about this just last week.  By law, they can only give you a prescription for three months and usually - not always, just usually - the pharmacie will only dispense for one month.

The doctor doesn't see you every three months to enhance his income.  He does it because he is supposed to examine you before issuing the next prescription (bp, heart, that sort of thing) and if there is a problem identified, he can deal with it.

[Helen]

Perhaps Sunday Driver is right, it depends on the condiiton. Theres certainly some flexibility. My last prescription (from a specialist) was to be repeated 5 times ie 6 months. I don't always need to get everything on the prescription every month as its dispensed in standard boxes (eg 5 insulin pens). As the amount I use varies from day to day I just tell the pharmacist what I need that month.

[Raini]

Thank you all!

I know that if I was to stay in the UK then I could get private health insurance to cover my condition, although I would have to wait a 2 year qualifying period before I could claim for anything relating to that condition. Also I could have them insure me to live in France although I would have to come back to the UK to receive hospital treatment.(which of course is not ideal)

However that does not help me regarding the new ruling that has been mentioned. I will of course have to do lots of reading on this matter.

Once again Thank you all for your help![:D]

 

Raini[:)]