UK leaves EEC, health cover issues?

[JohnRoss]

So maybe I am being a bit thick but if we do pull out of the EEC what happens about health cover here in France. Does that mean those of us with E121s will need full private health insurance and if we have pre-existing conditions, more likely at our age, will we get it or afford it?.............................JR 

[Will]

I don't want to be pedantic, but it depends what you mean by the 'EEC'. This was the term for part of the treaty between the original six countries that established what is now the EU. It doesn't mean a lot nowadays.

If you really mean the EEA (European Economic Area), then the unlikely event of Britain pulling out of the EU need not have any adverse effect on present health care arrangements. Norway and Switzerland, for example, are not EU member states but through their affiliation to the EEA they have reciprocal health agreements with the EU states.

It seems inconceivable that Britain would ever completely sever its economic ties with its neighbours. Remember that before joining the EU Britain was an EFTA state. EFTA still exists (the aforementioned Norway and Switzerland, along with Iceland and Liechtenstein are the present members). Britain would almost certainly re-join EFTA, and as such would become part of the EEA, which basically comprises the EU and EFTA. So the reciprocal health care arrangements would remain in place.

[parsnips]

[quote user="JohnRoss"]So maybe I am being a bit thick but if we do pull out of the EEC what happens about health cover here in France. Does that mean those of us with E121s will need full private health insurance and if we have pre-existing conditions, more likely at our age, will we get it or afford it?.............................JR [/quote]

Hi,

      Even if the UK left the EU (very unlikely), it would presumably remain in the EEA (european economic area ) along with Norway,Iceland and Lichtenstein and Switzerland, all of which are included in the reciprocal E form system.

[JohnRoss]

Well politics was never my strong point so I hope you are right. Someone did ask me the other day how much the UK pays each year to France for each Brit on an E121, anybody know? One assumes they would continue to pay it then............JR 

[Patf]

 I once rang the Newcastle office to ask that question and the lady said she thought £2000pa. But I think it has gone up to £2500pa now.

[NormanH]

I believe I have already raised this issue in another thread:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1861979/ShowPost.aspx

[Will]

So you did, Norman. But you got different answers.

[woolybanana]

Normie is trying to turn voters away from the Tories.

[Jako]

Should the UK indeed decide to leave the EU this would be the least of your problems.

Why would France allow you to continue to live here?. You'll be just another immigrant from outside the EU without visa and carte de sejour

They might just decide to expel all Brits and confiscate their possessions.[:D]

[JohnRoss]

Interesting article Norman. The sentence  "Some 82 per cent want to freeze Britain's financial contributions to the EU" could be taken to mean all sorts of things but might it not include health cover payments to the French govt? If the figure of £2000/pa is anywhere near correct and you take a quoted figure of 500,000 Brits in France and even allowing for some not being on an E form that is a lot of dosh being paid out by the UK. Some Tories might well want to reduce or cut this and blow you pensioners who have escaped to a civilised, well nearly, country!.......................................JR

[NormanH]

The E121 is  European, and so not up to the British government to change, as long as we are still in Europe.

It is just this sort of mutually supportive legislation that enrages the True Blues and makes them want to to leave the EU

[NormanH]

Somebody has to play the role of Cassandra (in the Melanie Klein interpretation)

[woolybanana]

Whilst I have no brief for the True Blues, Normie, I wonder if you should not try their virtues instead of the mythology of the sawdust floored public bar.

[JohnRoss]

I see you know the boozer I used to frequent on a Friday night, just me and the lads we 'ad a larff an' no mistake guv.........JR

PS RIP Clive Jenkins hero of the ASTMS

[Jazzer]

No saw dust bars, or cheap imitaion British sparkling wine for Mr Cameron. at the conference he supported the French wine industry by drinking Pol Roger champagne at £140 a bottle

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Jazzer"]No saw dust bars, or cheap imitaion British sparkling wine for Mr Cameron. at the conference he supported the French wine industry by drinking Pol Roger champagne at £140 a bottle[/quote]

If you read all the various reports, the supplier actually said the champagne was GBP 30 a bottle, not the 140 quoted by liebour supporters

[NormanH]

I doubt it made much difference to Dave..or that he was paying.

[Jazzer]

Not with Dave's millions! But I wonder why the aides tried to prevent the picture being taken.

[woolybanana]

Well, I would be glad to have a Prime Minister who has money and not one (with his wife) who has a chip on his shoulder about not having any!

[ebaynut]

[quote user="Jazzer"]No saw dust bars, or cheap imitaion British sparkling wine for Mr Cameron. at the conference he supported the French wine industry by drinking Pol Roger champagne at £140 a bottle[/quote]

Its good to see that Dave is cutting back, it just proves we all have to make savings and are "in this together". [Www]

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Jazzer"]Not with Dave's millions! But I wonder why the aides tried to prevent the picture being taken.[/quote]

because one of the 'rules' for the conference was that there should be no (overt) swigging of champagne........Cameron was 'set up' so that a photo could be taken and the resulting adverse publicity.

[Jazzer]

Is that a pig I see in the air? If you beleive that!!!!. If it was a set up , his reactions are too slow to be a Prime Minister.

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Jazzer"]Is that a pig I see in the air? If you beleive that!!!!. If it was a set up , his reactions are too slow to be a Prime Minister.[/quote]

I report as I find, in various press reports.

I wasn't there and didn't see it.

but, notwithstanding the dubious needs for a future PM to have rapid reactions, if I handed you a glass of what you thought was (say) apple juice and you then discovered it was champagne coincident with a photo of you drinking it what would be your thoughts?

As I said, I wasn't there so cant even comment on what he 'thought' was going to be in the glass.

Who cares anyway, champagne is not unusual at that level, we even drink it at home occasionally. Its quite good between main course and dessert as it 'clears' the palate (an Italian habit apparently)

[Jazzer]

It's not just the champagne.Nobody begrusges him a glass-I don't mind one myself. All in all it's been a messy week for the party. On Sunday the split over Europe took over the columsns, and Boris changing his mind by the second.On Monday, in an interview with BBC tv, Cameron was asked if the new retirement age would apply to women, wriggled and said it was part of an ongoing revew. By lunchtime as if by magic they had a policy. Then the champagne,after being told by his chairman to avoid it like the plague..., Wednesday ther" General" affair when the Shadow Home Secretary was interviewed, he accused Labour of a publicity campagn, without realising that he had in fact joined the Tories. For a party ready to take the reins, a little shambolic.

[woolybanana]

Yes, but I would be happier with that approach rather than the smooth, PR controlled approach of lies and manipulation that was characteristic of the Blair years. I hate politicians who are polished and besuited.

That being said, I have never voted for either of the main parties.