A novice at this needs some help please

[kelbo]

Hi there

Firstly, let me apologise in advance to any of you who will have read posts like this hundreds of times before but I have given myself a headache reading all this information and I am still not clear.

My husband has MS which is I understand listed as a chronic condition in France. We had intended in the next two years to move to France and live off income from proporties than we own here (a small income but should be enough), we have 2 children of school age. From what I understand, we will be entitled to join the CMU for 2 years when we arrive, which my husband would be able to reclaim 100% for with the E106. When the 2 years expires, we would all have to find private health insurance, (which would be more or less impossible for my husband), until we have lived in France permenantly for 5 years? Is that right or is that where I have got confused?

Also, does anyone know where I would find information about incapacity benefit and child benefit? Can I continue to claim from the UK or will we become part of the french system?

Additionally, if we decide to run a small gite business and therefore register and pay social and tax contributions (obviously small) would this change our status? We need to be clear on this as stress is a big factor in MS and we would be moving to lessen the stress, not add to it.

Would appreciate any help.

Many thanks

[cooperlola]

Just about to eat, but in the meantime, please have a look at

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1035025/ShowPost.aspx

(most up to date, solid info' thus far)

[Boiling a frog]

In order to stay more than three months in France you will need to prove that

1) you will not be a burden on the state .If you have two children you will need a minimum income of around 950€ per month.

2) You will need health insurance .Either by way of private medical assurance or an E106 or an E121

 

The 5 year rule has not been confirmed as yet and it may only mean that after 5 years you do not have to prove a minimum income and health assurance to enable one to remain in France

[Will]

Also, the 100% cover for certain conditions is not an automatic right. It has to be recommended by your medicin traitant (regular doctor) and agreed by the primary health assurance caisse (e.g. the local CPAM). In view of the changes/uncertainty over health assurance it seems increasingly unlikely that such cover would be freely granted for an inactive non-national, or at least one who is not currently affiliated to the French system.

[kelbo]

Well that's all nice and depressing. Rock and a hard place spring to mind. I guess the only option would be to start a small business and then hope that we could get the full 100% as we would have not chance of getting health insurance. It just gets worse - you get a kick in the teeth by being diagnosed with a debilitating illness at a young age with a young family  - and then when you try and make things more bearable you get kicked again. I guess we will have to wait for more definative information - we have had enough go wrong lately to leave things to chance. 

Are the French govenment likley to give more clarification soon? Or should we just accept that living in France will not be an option for us?

 

 

[cooperlola]

We hope to be able to clarify further, but "headless" and "chicken" come to mind as regards what's going on in local health department offices at present.  Conflicting information is flying in from all quarters at the moment.  Keep an eye on the thread I mentioned above, and we'll up date as and when we get clarification and/or solid evidence as to what is going on.  However I think the situation will be nigh-on untenable for new arrivals here.  Unless of course you can persuade the DWP that your o/h qualifies for an E121.

You can imagine how dreadful it is for those already here in your position, who are unsure of their future and who have burnt all their boats in the UK. I hope that you do get to live your dream before too long.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Hi Kelbo

Whilst 100% may be appropriate for your partner's MS, you will still need CMU and top up cover for any other conditions, visiting the dentist etc. 100% does not mean 100% for, or of, everything it's just for the specified condition/conditions agreed, as Will explained, between yourself, your generaliste and your CPAM office.  The idea in the future is that you must have a high enough level of income and not be a drain on the State, very straight forward for potential immigrants to France.

Invalidity benefit is payable here, subject to conditions - you need to check with the DWP on this for your case but DLA isn't payable.  Have no idea about child benefit.

From your thread about horses, it seems you may want to start a business here - be careful because if you're coming here with the ongoing receipt of benefits, getting 100% etc, you may find that the cotizations you have to pay would be too high to sustain a reasonable life style here.  And of course, you'll have to get into the French tax system.

From what you've said, were I in your position I'd put any thoughts of a move to France on hold until you've done all the homework and research that you can and wait until the current issues about healthcare cover (which is nothing to do with receipt of 100%) is resolved - at least a year.  

 

[kelbo]

Ok

Well thanks for all your help, it is very difficult because there are so many unknowns, with an illness like MS things might be ok for years - in which case we can run a business but if my husbands health deteriorates running a business will be much harder and that is when we will need the money to help pay for healthcare that we may or may not be entitled to. We have no intention of avoiding contributions we have both worked for 20 plus years and never claimed a penny from anyone apart from child benefit that gets paid to everyone so it drives me mad when I hear "burden on the state", being quoted at us, people like us do not want to be a burden on anyone. We are not looking for easy answers just facts so we can make considered judgements.The main problem with us is the unknown as the course of the disease is so variable so we need to investigate every avenue. If my husband went downhill here - he would more than likely be able to claim long term capacity benefit but if we went to France whist he was still essentially well, (and we obviously hope he would stay so) we could start a business. We would always have an income from the UK but that could sustain us in terms of living expenses but again it is the uknown medical costs that could be a problem.

My heart goes out to people who have already made the move and now be homeless as far as healthcare goes. I guess France is not such a safe bet as people thought. Same c*** different country!

I think we will will continue to narrow down a suitable area and just keep abreast with other developments. If nothing else comes out of this at least we will learn a language, I am half way through my OU course and the kids have been going to an after school club. 

Thanks