Update on our own situation......maybe others can advise or maybe it might help

[mogs]

Further to other posts on the health pages, like a lot of people, that following the government announcement in December we believed our continuation in the CMU would be ok.  We've been in the system since April 07.

We've changed Depts. since this announcement, but have still received information from the old dept. that we could remain in the system.

However our new Dept (24) are refusing us on the grounds that my partner is NOT inactif (he is a Mariner which is a complicated issue in itself).    The CPAM in Dept 24 have even gone so far as saying that the previous Dept got it all wrong and should never have allowed us to join the CMU because OH gets a salary and it's only for people who are not working.

They're quoting the documentation that says anyone in the system before Nov 07 can remain in the system, BUT only if they are inactif, students, etc.    They don't seem to have a category for people who are in the same situation as us.

Is there anyone else out there with similar problems, I would be interested to know if so, and whether you have managed to overcome the difficulties

 

[Boiling a frog]

Can I suggest that you telephone the French  help service for EEC

http://www.cleiss.fr/

[Ron Avery]

Mogs. Your new CPAM is absolutely right, you should not be in the CMU base if your O/H works.

You will have to provide more details about where he is employed and who by, for more advice as that will determine whether you should be covered by an E form if he is employed by a UK company but lives in France or is working for a French company in which case he would have his own Caisse for Health care.  Ernie might be able to provide more help as to how this works as I believe he works off shore.

 

[Russethouse]

I think Will has previously posted about special arrangements regarding maritime workers, but I have been unable to find a reference - sorry !

[cooperlola]

I know a little more detail about mogs's situation, but obviously will not post it here.  However, it is fair to say, that mogs has been doing everything to do things correctly but it is a very complex problem, not least because of the way this shipping company operates (legal for them but with bizarre consequences for the employees).  I reckon only another maritime worker would know the real answer although I have also recommended the CLEISS route, BaF.  If Will's around, maybe he could help?

[mogs]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, especially Cooperlola.   All I can say at the moment is that I am waiting on the CPAM English line to phone me back (hopefully tomorrow) and I will contact CLEISS tomorrow morning, I managed to get through today but was told to phone again tomorrow.

We definitely cannot get cover via the UK system, we already tried this a year ago to no avail. Believe me if we could, we would!   It's not for want of trying, and even here in France we want to pay,  we  are not trying to dodge the system but as yet it seems our situation is not under any particular category and is somewhat unusual to the French authorities.

Hopefully another offshore worker might see our plight and offer some advice.

Going back to my original posting, I keep asking myself how last year, with everyone else we were classed as inactifs (hence not allowing us to stay in the sytem) because we didn't work in France yet now, we are Actif - but because not working for a French organisation we are still being penalised.  Where is the sense in that

I'll post back when/if I get some answers and any further suggestions are gratefully received.

[pepsisue]

Sometimes you cannot make head or tail of their reckoning, are they making it up as they go along, or if they do not know they deny you the right. This is an example that had myself and my OH in a build up of anxieties. We had a telephone call from CPAM asking why my OH did not have a father's name on his Birth certificate, they said because of that he could not have a Carte Vital. Anyway 3 weeks later they sent him a CV. We are happy now, but for 3 weeks stress.

Pepsisue

[cooperlola]

It is not helped by the fact that the CPAMs and their organisation are, in effect, autonomous, and it does seem that some make it up as they go along.  I think in some cases, Pepsisue, the rules were not clarified at ground level until very recenlty (Alpes Maritime, for instance, only began to implement them at the end of last week) and all kinds of reasons were being given for non-compliance.  I was never told by my CPAM that there was any chance that my CMU cover might end, although I got endless letters asking for this and that bit of paper (including my E106 for which they had had all the termination correspondence at the beginning of '07).  Then, out of the blue, came my bill, and things have gone back to business as usual. 

Our o/p's original CPAM was quite confident in the advice which it gave, and had it not been for her recent move to another department, she would be problem-free.  In fact I know that she is still struggling to find the answer to this problem, although the authorites are trying to help out (but at a snail's pace which is unhelpful, to say the least!)

Had it not been for this forum, I would never have known that there was any chance of our losing our health cover here.  I am still wondering if there are people out there who have no idea that this has happened and - more worryingly - if some CPAMs will terminate their rights next week, without ever informing them of any changes.  There are still departments whose reaction to this we at FHI know nothing about, as we have had no feedback from anybody in certain parts of the country.

[mogs]

Today I trooped off to my local CPAM armed with change of address forms etc. plus letter from old CPAM stating that our rights would not be terminated at the end of March.

We've been down this road before, so we'll see what correspondence comes next..............I live in hope it will be sorted out satisfactorily.

Thanks again to everyone at FHI for their help and advice.