How does healthcare work in France?

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Hi,
Ther's a lot of information about various forms (all starting with E), but I cannot seem to find the simple stuff. All I want to know right now pleae, in simple terms. If I live in France, but continue to work for a UK company, can I, or should I discontinue paying National Insurance and start paying whatever is the French equivelant? Does France have a National Health service or is it all Private Healthcare?

If you can help it would life so much easier to understand

Thanks

[Chrisb]

My husband still works for a UK company...we requested an E106 (proof of National Insurance contributions, which took about 6 weeks and several phone calls before it arrived!). This entitled us to a Carte Vitale which we obtained from the local CPAM offices(very straighforward - just remember to take copies of birth certificates, marriage cert, passports, proof of residence, salary slip as well as the E106) We received an Attestation about 2 weeks later with our social security numbers on, and the Carte Vitale about 3 weeks after that. Ours is valid until the end of 2008. We are now just about to take out a 'top-up' insurance to cover the remainder of any costs incurred that are not re-imbursed by the Carte Vitale. I have done the rounds of Insurance agents and bank and now just need to sift through them all to try and choose the best one for us - the average cost seems to be about 100 euros/month for 2 adults/2children.
I am still very new to all this so I am sure that someone else will be able to give you more thorough information!!

Chris