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E106 expires January 2010. Private Medical Insurance with Diabetes?


Steve307cc

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Hope someone can help.

My partner and I have been in France since April 08. Our E106's expire 2 January 2010 and we are looking for PMI.

My partner has type2 Diabetes. I've seen in previous threads on here that there may be insurers who will cover pre-existing conditions. Can anyone advise if this is the case and provide some contact details for us.

Is there anyone else out there in the same situation as ourselves who can advise what action we should take.

The only option if we can't find an insurer to cover us is to sell up and return to the UK, is this the case or are there other options.

Thanks, Steve.
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No, I don't think there are any insurers who'll cover you, hence there's nothing on our website, but I'd love to be proved wrong.  To my mind - and I've always thought this - that is why the legislation is so pernitious - those who are ill cannot retire early to France any more.

You could, of course, take a punt and insure with the diabetes not covered but it's a risk - not so much for the cost of regular meds and doc's visits,  but in the event that any related illness pops up for which there would be no cover. 

The alternative is to seek employment.  It seems that many in your postition hope to use the auto-entrepreneur scheme to achieve medical cover, but I don't know how this has turned out in practice.  If it does work, then it seems to me that even selling a few things on e-bay or doing something of that ilk, could qualify you.

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Becoming an autoentrepreneur is definitely a way to get full health cover.

I moved to France a year ago and at the beginning of this year registered as an AE. I had an existing heart condition (arrhythmia) and this summer I was diagnosed with a bowel tumor. That, with complications, led to my spending a total of 7 weeks in hospital, including operations, NMR and other scans, followed by home nursing for several weeks. All of this is covered 100% as an ALD.

I must point out that until I went into hospital I was running a real business and declaring a reasonable turnover. I'm not in favour of the idea of someone doing a few euros' worth of work a month and expecting health cover and I would expect that the French authorities will eventually close any loopholes of that nature.
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You might try talking to Exclusivehealth not that I really expect them to able to offer you cover but simply because they will undoubtedly have experience of others in your position and may have some useful advice, and it's a English outfit which may or may not be of assistance depending on your language skills.

If they are unable to offer cover themselves then as there is no potential commercial loss they may feel able to recommend another company.

I fear though that Coops is right, including the doubts about AE, only time will tell.

Bonne chance.

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Norman, What is a Heath tourist?

Unless you can make a positive contribution to the discussion do you not think it more polite to say nothing at all? It takes some people a great deal of courage to post a question - the least one can do is to post some sort of friendly or encouraging response.
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There is a difference between being forthright and insulting Norman and that one definitely crossed the line.

Nothing in the OP's question hinted at 'health tourism'. They have found themselves in a situation, albeit one which should not have come as a surprise and should have been planned for, and are looking for genuine advice on a way forward.

I think you owe them an apology.

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Norman,

We thank you for your constructive advice.

We were possibly naive, but certainly mis-advised and have never been nor would want to be 'health tourists'.

We find ourselves in a position where a life long dream is to end in shreds. So we appreciate the help and support you have not given. Heaven help anyone else who finds themselves in the same position and puts a post on this site asking for help that you read.

I only hope that you do not find yourself in any position where your life in France is threatened by the bureaucracy of the country.

Although we will probably have to return to the UK because we have NO intention of trying to fiddle the system, we wish you a happy and prosperous life in France and are sure that you will have countless expats to fall back on if you ever need support in the future, NOT.

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Cooperlola, I appreciate that in your current circumstances the health issues of ex pats are probably low on your agenda, but I am curious to know whether this issue is still being progressed?  It would seem to be both discriminatory and contrary to the concept of freedom of movement not to allow 'inactifs' health cover if they are prepared to contribute to the french healthcare system in the same manner as their French counter parts would be required to?

(It doesn't affect us - but having been involved in similar EEC legal wrangles on other issues this debate does seem to have more mileage....)

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Scooby, although I am in agreement with you, there was sadly little or no support for the pursuit of the rights of those sick people wishing to retire early to France.  The remaining founders (those who had not gone back to the UK or were too ill, or working) tried to drum up some sympathy via our website but the attitude seems to be "we're OK now so st*ff the rest of you" or it reflected Norman's opinion. 

Personally, I believed then and still do, that in this day and age every human being in the so-called "civilised" world should be entitled to healthcare should they need it.  France's previous government agreed with me but this one does not.  I believe you are correct in that to discriminate against those with existing medical problems (which is what this interpretation of the law does) runs contrary to the principals of the European community.  But unless there are numbers of enthusiastic and hard-working people to pursue this issue to the limit, then the government will continue to get away with this.  I still believe passionately in this issue but banging my (practically-lone) head against a brick wall is not my idea of fun.

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