How to stay in French health?

[George]

Hi All,

Newby with a pressing issue. S1s about to run out for wife and me. I'm 48 wife 46. Both retired, living on my UK crown service pension. Fully fit, not on benefits, not drawing on the french state, paying our bills,taxes,etc... But having to fork out for full comp health insurance would be a stretch. A small bird mentioned recently that there is a form I can fill in to apply to stay in the french system either a) because we are living on a UK pension or b) because we are not sucking anything from the French state (pretty much the same thing I think). Is this true? If yes, anyone know the form I need to fill in? Any other info I need to know. V grateful for any help.

George

[NormanH]

You could of course work or run a business, even as an Autoentrepreneur

You will not get health cover here without contributing in some way until you  start to receive an OAP from the UK, when you will get an S1 form to pay for your cover providing of course that the rabid right haven't taken GB out of Europe by then.

[EuroTrash]

As an inactif you have to have lived here legally for 5 years before you can apply to join the French system as a resident. Hopefully you have been filing your annual declarations since you arrived, and that being the case you will already be part way there and will just need private health insurance for the rest of the 5 year period.

Alternatively if you have a fairly substantial income you may be able to get into the state system by paying contributions based on your income, but (a) most CPAMs don't offer this unless you insist and (b) it may not work out any cheaper - bear in mind that once you are in the French health system direct you may become liable for CSG on your pension, depending on its source, and on any other worldwide income.

[Sprogster]

George, the UK pension as a qualifying route to French health care refers to the State pension which you will get when you are 66. This is because the UK will issue an S1 to UK State pensioners living in the EU, whereby the UK reimburse the French for your health care costs.

As a fit relative youngster the French will classify you as an inactif and although you can in theory apply to join the French health care system after five years legal residence in France, many Brits are struggling to do so, as to be blunt bottom line is the French authorities do not want low income foreign early retirees burdening their over financially stretched health services.

As mentioned by another poster the only practical way for you to avoid the need for private health insurance is to set up a business and go down the AE route.

Presumably this is not a bad idea as you will need to do something to supplement a pension at such a young age if financially you are going to survive the falling £ and inflation for the next thirty to forty years.