lyndros Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Hello,I am a 61 year old UK Citizen, and moved to France to live permanently at the end of Oct 2011. I have taken early retirement, but do not yet receive a UK State Pension.I secured a Form S1(E121) on the grounds of receipt of long term incapacity benefit which I lodged with my local CPAM in November.However, although I have now received my carte vitale, this is set ("droits jusquau") to expire on 30th Sept 2012, with the phrase in the covering letter "veillez a mettre a jour votre carte une fois par an et a chaque changement de situation". The attestation from CPAM which supports it states ""Valable du 29/12/2011 au 28/06/2012 sous reserve de changement dans la situation de l'assure".I do not understand why I have been given such a short time for my French Health cover, and wonder whether this is yet another sly attempt by the French Authorities to escape from their obligations to provide health cover to UK Citizens who have retired early to France.Any comments or help you may have would be greatly welcomed.Kind regardsLyndros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 [quote user="lyndros"]Hello,I am a 61 year old UK Citizen, and moved to France to live permanently at the end of Oct 2011. I have taken early retirement, but do not yet receive a UK State Pension.I secured a Form S1(E121) on the grounds of receipt of long term incapacity benefit which I lodged with my local CPAM in November.However, although I have now received my carte vitale, this is set ("droits jusquau") to expire on 30th Sept 2012, with the phrase in the covering letter "veillez a mettre a jour votre carte une fois par an et a chaque changement de situation". The attestation from CPAM which supports it states ""Valable du 29/12/2011 au 28/06/2012 sous reserve de changement dans la situation de l'assure".I do not understand why I have been given such a short time for my French Health cover, and wonder whether this is yet another sly attempt by the French Authorities to escape from their obligations to provide health cover to UK Citizens who have retired early to France.Any comments or help you may have would be greatly welcomed.Kind regardsLyndros[/quote]Is this a wind up?Health cover in France is based on the contributions paid into the system.If you have paid nothing in you get nothing out. Why should the 'French Authorities ' be under any obligation to you? . In France you are simply an uninvited immigrant who hasn't paid his/her dues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Lyndros - as long as you continue to receive Incapacity Benefit from the UK, your healthcare is the same as a UK state pension retiree, i.e. shouldered by the UK - it is only if your Incapacity Benefit was stopped before you are in receipt of your UK state pension that you could be in limbo.So, assuming you will be receiving Incapacity Benefit until you are of state pension age, you shouldn't have any problem. Cartes Vitales have to be updated periodically (at the chemist or any other special points - we have one at our Mairie) - all it is is a slot machine in which you put your card, and if your status hasn't changed, it is done automatically. Everyone has to update their Carte Vitale periodically.With all due respect, Norman, that is how it works, and I am sure that is how you will understand it too once you have carefully re-read the OP. Having said that, I can also see the red rag in the highlighted sentence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndros Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 No, it is not intended to be a wind up. France has obligations to EU Citizens, just like every other EU country.Those obligations include providing health care in certain circumstances (e.g. where a Form S1(E121 or E106) is in operation), and those circumstances are NOT dependant on contributions paid in France.I just want to be sure that France is complying with and administering its obligations properly.Lyndros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 [quote user="lyndros"]I just want to be sure that France is complying with and administering its obligations properly.[/quote]Yes, a bit of an edge here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 removed by Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndros Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thankyou 5 Element. The highlighting of the sentence was not intended - just an accident with my mouse..In light of what you say, am I right in thinking that just after the dates mentioned in my previous post, I should go into a chemist to update my card (providing of course that my IB is continuing)?Lyndros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Yes that is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Maybe the French are aware of the UK programme to examine benefit claimants aged between 16 and 64 years to test their eligibility to continue receiving benefits and by extension their right to an S1.Seems prudent by the French authorities to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suandpete Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I have an S1 because I am in receipt of retirement pension from the UK - but still have to sign a form every year for CPAM to state that I am still receiving the pension. I see no problem with that at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 And I have to submit a new workers E106 every year.Periodic validation is all perfectly normal and designed to avoid the sort of situation which has been allowed to develop in UK where, in far too many cases, the awarding of IB was a political sop to massage the unemployed numbers and once granted meant claimants more or less had a meal ticket for the rest of their (non) working life. That is what the current review is trying to put right.Note I am NOT suggesting that is the OP's case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinabee Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 And I have to prove annually my entitlement to a Carte Vitale because I am on short term contracts - all perfectly normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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