Form E121

[Laine]

I received this form from the UK Pensions Dept. today because I am due to start receiving the state pension in October. However I am a little puzzled about what to do. In France I am already covered (for the usual 70%) under my husband's cover - we are self-employed.

Obviously I can telephone the UK, but I wondered if anyone had the same experience and if you can you choose your medical cover? Maybe the UK cover is 100%??? By the way we have lived and worked in France for 12 years.

Thanks for any help.

Laine

[Teamedup]

I'd call in and see your Caisse with this form and ask them what they want to do with it. It was probably issued automatically as you are approaching retirement age.

 

ps I wouldn't just phone, I'd let them see the form and take in your current attestation with your name on it.

[Ron Avery]

Presumably as you have been here 12 years you have been paying your 8% into the French Health system.  If you are not because your husband is already at retirement age (65) and has his own E121 you do not have to do anything unless you want your own carte vitale.

If your husband is not yet 65 , the E121 means that you no longer, neither of you, have to pay the 8% Health charges

I quote "Those holding an E121 are not required to contribute but are still refunded for medical treatment as a Frenchman would be. Also, if one half of a couple is covered by the E121 the other is automatically covered whether or not they would be entitled to an E121 in their own right. This includes both married couples and those in "concubinage notoire" - i.e. common law couples.

So take the E121 to CPAM and they should advise you when your payments will stop.

[Miki]

Ron,

I think you are getting a little carried away with what people can actually qualify to pay this 8% for their health cover !!

It is not the norm for self employed people to gain their health cover by way of the CMU. Some folks with gite or CdH found out that they can certainly be covered this way, if and it is now becoming a "BIG IF", if their CPAM will allow them to gain cover in this manner. Some departments are now saying that gites and B&B's need to register as others have to.

For all others who are self employed, they must decide who to go with, once they have registered with their C de Com or C de Met or Agricole or whoever their "metiers" may be. You are given a list of insurers to go with (and Mutuelles for "top up", non obligatory) to choose from, inc a choice for the "retraite" people as well. And this is how the self employed gain their health and reitrement cover, not through the 8% with the CMU.

[Ron Avery]

Sorry Miki and Laine, knuckles self rapped, I missed the bit about self employed in the first post.  So what you are saying then is that if you are still working in France beyond the UK retirement age, whether employed or a self-employed, you still have pay towards the French health system?   However, if you do not work when you get an E121  you don't have to pay any more, that IS Correct 

 Much of the info on the internet is aimed at those retiring to France especially the stuff about E121's, the assumption being that if you are retirment age perhaps you should put your feet up and enjoy the rest of your life. 

[Laine]

Hi,

Many thanks for the replies. We pay for health via the Caisse des professions libérales and I think my best plan is to go and see them, as suggested.

I'll keep you informed about what happens (if anything)!

Thanks again,

Laine

[Owen]

Hello,

In your postion I would not do anything with the E121 except to tuck it away in reserve. The E121 has been given to you as a standard item in the DWP retirement pack but is irrelevant to your needs. Presenting this to your "caisse" sets you on a path of repairing something that is not broken. This could cause confusion and even worse initiate thinking among the staff of your "caisse" Thinking with these sort of people is a dangerous and unnatural activity and you could end up in a bureaucratic quagmire. You are paying cotisations to a "caisse" and when you/your husband retires from French employment/self-employment this "caisse" will continue to provide cover. In any event you would not receive a lesser or greater level of cover with E121.

But as I say keep the E121 in reserve and the same with your husband if he receives one as he approaches UK retirement age. You never know what shenanigans these quasi government "caisses" will get up to in the future to try and curb benefits.

If you are looking to cut your health costs have a look at your complementary health insurance. There are many providers who reduce premiums for the self-employed and/or base the premiums for a couple on the age of the younger partner

Regards

Peter Owen

pjowen@exparthealthdirect.co.uk

[Teamedup]

Laine, If that is what Owen thinks then I would go with that. Just hang onto it and don't do anything.

[Laine]

Many thanks for your replies Peter and Teamedup. I agree about the danger of upsetting the apple cart and I certainly don't want to do that, so I shall take your advice!

Regards,

Elaine