healthcare and social security benefits

[Raygraham]

We are in the early stages of our move, ie, our house in the u.k is currently on the market, when we sell we will be looking to rent in the limousin region while we house hunt..

I would like to know how we would stand with entitlement to french benefits, My wife has an incureable lung disease and this limits her mobility quite alot, we have been told that as her condition worsens she will need a lung transplant, and on top of all that, I have a back problem which will require surgery at some stage, and so as a result of this we are currently in reciept of income support and incapacity benefit, we are not sure how we go about getting these benefits or the equivilent to them in france and does it like here depend on how much money you have in the bank.  We also have 5 kids all of them under 10, would we still get family allowance etc..  any help would be greatfully recieved  Ray and Jo..

[Val_2]

You really really must get a definitive reply on this from Newcastle who issue all the E certs. Its no good just turning up in France and expecting all sorts of benefits and treatments,although I'm sure you won't,but you do need all the relevent paperwork beforehand so that the authorities here can assess your needs. Family allowance is payable in France but you have to sign off with the UK first, get paperwork from them for the CPAM and CAF here and this could take a few months before you get any further payment of which back payments from when you signed off will be paid.  Whatever you do, you must not especially with five children, come to France without any sort of medical cover or think you can use an E111, medical treatment is extremely expensive and you will be invoiced for it. Benefits in France are derived from your personal monthly income which is why each year the CAF ask for a declaration as well as the usual tax offices.

[Kent]

Message in inbox

[Sue Smith]

Hi Ray and Jo,

With regards to Inc. Ben., you need to get in touch with Newcastle and ask for info/help re. obtaining a form E121. When I applied for mine, over a year ago, there were rules about how long I had been in receipt of the higher level of Inc. Ben. - think it was a year, but not 100% certain. An E121 entitles you to 100% reimbursment of some drugs/treatment and about 70% of others. It is also possible to include family members on an E121, via an E107 (We're still in the middle of that process!) Good luck with the move and all your medical probs.

Regards,

Sue.

[Shane]

I cannot emphasise enough the need for sorting out your health care. My husband and I moved here two years ago and I got E121 and my Incapacity Benefit to come with. My husband is covered on my E121 but gets 65% of his medical bills paid whereas I get 100%. However, we talked about a top up and decided to wait.

 

Then 2 weeks ago at 42 my husband had a heart attack! The service we received here in France was amazing, within 5 days he had the attack, was taken to hospital, monitored, moved to Limoges, had an operation, and came home! Not out the woods yet by any means but even so.

 

However, we have not had the bills from the hospital yet but St Yrieix hospital we know charges 320 euro per day. His prescription, pills to take for life, was 153 euro and that is going to be monthly. 

 

We have now taken a top policy with Groupama, it won't pay these fees but anything from now on is covered along with dentist and opticiens.

 

So do not hesitate or think you will be ok, its not worth the risk.

[Owen]

Hello,

I am glad someone has had the courage to effectively state they made an error of judgement with their healthcare provision. There seems to be a determination on the part of many forum contributors to suggest that there are means by which they do not have to pay anything or very little for their healthcare. The simple fact is that a personal contribution is required which can either be paid direct, via a complementary insurance or a mixture of both. In France you have the choice of how you pay but pay somehow you must.

It is quite possible that your hospital bills will be nothing like as heavy as you are expecting if the hospital is "conventionné", in that the treatment for a serious condition such as this, along with major surgery, will probably be covered 100% by the CPAM. You will certainly have to pay the "hotel" charges ("forfait journalier" - 13 Euros per day) and if he had a private room. If he was operated on by a surgeon with special qualifications this may cost extra too. The same goes for the anaesthetist. These extra charges are called "depassements". Needless to say all these could have been covered with an appropriate "police complémentaire".

As far as future medication is concerned then it is possible that some or all of it may be covered 100% if it is considered sufficiently "grave"; other wise expect 65% to be reimbursed by the state.

In the meantime it only remains for me to wish your husband a full recovery.

Regards

Peter Owen

pjowen@expathealthdirect.co.uk

[Shane]

Thank you Owen for your kind reply. I have to say that the cost of my husbands treatment will be irrelevant compared to the service we received in the French hospitals, the kindness and consideration from the nurses and doctors, and we are proud that we managed with the language too in this stressful situation. All our french neighbours and friends have been so kind and supportive and we are certain we would not have received the same in the uk, having experienced serious problems there in the past along with the frustrations of waiting and then being wrongly diagnosed.

I am sure a full recovery will be effected.

[Coral]

May I add my warning. Don't just depend on the 65% as the balance can be quite horrendous.

We were covered up to 60% but my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour and the cost of the brain surgery, although unsuccessful, was astronomical. I am still paying off the 40% balance.

So GET TOP=UP INSURANCE ! You may be really healthy and think 'I'll wait until I am heading for a wheelchair' But don't.

Coral

[Wealthy]

If my family and I relocate to France, to live permanently, what healthcare are we entitled to under the French state, if any?

 

If nothing, can someone explain whatwe must do and who to apply to?

 

 

[opas]

can you see the search on the top right of the forum,if yes ,press on that and pose your question,if not then......well there are better qualified on here who will answer better than I....

[Tourangelle]

Wealthy,

You have some really big questions.  This one is too big or do I mean too general?  An answer is going to involve whether or not you are working, if you are self employed, or if you are retired and multiple other elements.  It's really complicated. 

Since you are Wealthy, if I were you, I would go back to the Living France main page and have a look at the book shop there and buy a guide.  Perhaps somebody could suggest a good one?  I don't mean to say don't use this forum,  on the contrary, but as I say, you seem to have some fairly fundamental issues.

Good luck

Jane