re Carte D'Assurance Maladie renewal.

[Clair]

[quote user="BJSLIV"]The only realistic outcome I can see, is that more Brits will be keeping an eye on a quick flight back to the UK if they suddenly get some expensive health problem to pay for.[/quote]

Am I right in thinking that having left the UK to live abroad, people are no longer covered by the NHS either...?[8-)]

[BJSLIV]

Quite right, but there is a well trodden path back to the NHS used by those now living in Spain and Portugal.

The NHs is valiantly trying to trap such people, with increasing success.

 

[cooperlola]

Yes, of course, BJSLIV, it is tough to see how it would be paid for.  We contribute quite a bit, but then happily BR had a solid pension fund!

I think you are right about flying back to the UK.  But, in theory, anybody who is a declared resident here, should use their EHIC for treatment in the UK.  Where will that come from if you are excluded from the French healthcare system and do not have private health cover?  Travel insurance will cover emergencies, but not major ops which are known about in advance.  What if these people fall over and break their necks?  Flying back won't be an option, will it?

Those with pre-existing conditions who aren't bucking the system by keeping an address in the UK and nipping back to see their docs there, will indeed have a big problem, if this proves to be universal.  If they can get cover at all, it's going to be pricey.  But then (as I think Will said a while back), people are still moving to Spain, where this has been happening for a while now.

[BJSLIV]

AMS  

First Post

The only response that I received when i asked what will happen was that I would be informed  by post of the decision within 10 working days.

Second Post

Just talked to the french help line, (in english). She told me that we will no longer be covered and we will no longer have to pay and health contributions.

I hope you didn't make the fatal mistake of pressing  for a decision from a Fonctionaire. That is always a recipe for the answer Non![:)]

[Russethouse]

I think the result of this in the short term will be more questions and details needed when you attend hospital in the UK and more checking too, but in the long term perhaps the UK will review its criteria for health care ?

[BJSLIV]

 people are still moving to Spain, where this has been happening for a while now.

And thats precisely where the biggest number of "returnersfor treatment " in the UK come from.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="BJSLIV"]

 people are still moving to Spain, where this has been happening for a while now.

And thats precisely where the biggest number of "returnersfor treatment " in the UK come from.

[/quote]Now there's a surprise...

[ams]

The quote that i received for private insurance excludes pre existing problems for my wife for 5 years and for myself for 7 years.

[ams]

No. The wait 10 days was from the CPAM office. The telephone call was to a different person, no details, numbers or name given, just facts.

[cooperlola]

Be sure to read Chris's post, here, ams

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1016625/ShowPost.aspx

[cooperlola]

If any of this happens (and Chris's post - referred to above, is reassuring), it will only go to re-inforce the fact that one cannot expect changes never to happen to citizens' rights, wherever you live.  Unless you are entitled to, and apply for, French nationality, you cannot vote here, so your voice will not have much importance with this country's politicians.  The availability of the CMU to us is certainly not a right in law, if the law is changed.  It was not conceived with us in mind, so I don't think we can be too surprised if, as a group, non-working, non-French, non job-seeking folk lose out - now or in the future.

[ams]

Sounded really good news until someone pointed out that the information given to the BE was from a french Journalist and not from the horses mouth. Only 9 days to go before we get formal notice.

 

I wonder if i could set up a SARL and charge myself management fees equal to the net rental income, thus eliminating rental income and replacing it with management income. !!!!!!!

[cooperlola]

Joking apart, AMS, I think if you register as a business, and pay all your cotisations, you 'd be OK.  See Will's response here:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1012127/ShowPost.aspx

[BJSLIV]

Perhaps someone could remind us of how much those dreadful minimum social charges are for a an unsuccessful business, they will probably seem a bargain compared to partial private health cover!

 I can see lots of small businesses being set up in the next few months.

[Catalpa]

Exactly what I've said elsewhere. Suddenly, cotisations - as a cost of running a registered business - will have a distinct value and a clear benefit. [:P]

[Russethouse]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

Joking apart, AMS, I think if you register as a business, and pay all your cotisations, you 'd be OK.  See Will's response here:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1012127/ShowPost.aspx

[/quote]

Ams, I could be way off beam but surely it is worth investigating with an accountant. If they say you cannot go that way or it is not financially advantageous, at least you will know.

[Me0wp00]

Do you think that if you ie find work via the cheques d'emploi system as a cleaner for say 5 hours a week,  that it is likely to be classed as *employment* as you pay the cotisations on what you earn (however little it may be) and they'll allow you into the cmu, or if you go on the dole and are quite happy to look for work but struggle due to language and skills issues, surely you'll be covered then as RMI gives you cmu.

[Will]

I think the key to that is in the EU ruling that gave rise to this whole situation - those European citizens seeking residence in another EU member state "must have sufficient resources to support themselves without recourse to the social assistance of the host Member State". A few hours of casual work, even if carried out officially and above board, is unlikely to provide such resources.

 

[suein56]

[quote user="Me0wp00"]or if you go on the dole and are quite happy to look for work but struggle due to language and skills issues, surely you'll be covered then as RMI gives you cmu.

[/quote]

That seems to be a sticking point as the government are already struggling with high unemployment and might only want to have incomers who can support themselves and are no burden on the state.

Sue

Edit: Bill beat me to it.

[Sharkster]

I have read somewhere, that you need to have completed 120 hours work over a minimum of a 3 month period in a calendar year to qualify for social benefits.  This is then valid for 3 years.

[cooperlola]

Quite, Will.  If this is the loophole which ex-pats and immigrants are planning to use - ie sign on for even more benefits, and flood a job-market which is already under stress - it will surely be self-defeating?

But it does beg a question for those legitimately seeking work over here, which they are also entitled to do as EU citizens.  As an example, I will use my good friend and neighbour who is in her 40s.  She moved here 2 years ago and has lived off the profit she made from the sale of her house in the UK, having bought a cheaper house here.  She knew that she needed at least a couple of years to become fully conversant with the language and has indeed worked really hard at it.  She is signed on as a job seeker and does not receive any benefits but has, within the last couple of months before the summer break, begun to get small amounts of work teaching English, for which she is paid through the French system, and she has paid full social security contributions, as required for any French employee.  She has also been given free French language lessons by the state.

At present, she is still on her E106, but this runs out shortly.  What happens to people like her?   Any work she is doing at present does not, in any way provide "sufficient resources" for her to support herself.  And if a load of 50-65 year old Brits suddenly turn up at their local offices to sign on, it will surely have a huge back-lash effect upon people like my friend who genuinely wish to contribute and integrate with her newly adopted country, earn an honest living, and pay fully into the state system.

Edit : Sorry Sharkster and Sue, a bit of simultaneous posting going on here!  I think that's going to happen a lot with this subject!

Thanks Sharkster, that clarifies this position a bit.