Carte vitale

[Joe]

I know France has been told to comply with pre 2007 regs regarding health cover but when will it restart again? I have read in the C..........n newspaper that it is down to the local CPAM to sort out.I need to apply for 1st Jan because I do not want to fork out over 3000 euros again for private insurance.I will be 65 next September so I will be ok then.

Has anyone had any problems applying?

[Val_2]

Don't believe what you read in publications like that, they often get things wrong. Go to the horses mouth namely the CPAM and sort it with them personally, not some brit newspaper that caters for those who cant do things for themselves.

[NormanH]

Val is repeating the truth  (which  unfortunately has to be stated so often)  that you should always go to the French authority rather than relying on  information from dubious 'British' sources  just because they are written in English.

Post edited by the moderators.

[sueyh]

Succinct and to the point.  Why beat about the bush.

Suey

[Val_2]

Exactly. Been here too long to fanny about with the REAL truth of how to do things in France. If you want something done or found out for you, go to the people concerned, not some magazine. I don't believe in dressing facts up and being all fluffy. Direct talking is the only way.

[AnOther]

Talking of 'horses mouths' here is the latest official circular on the matter, described as a classic piece of French obscurification(!)'

http://www.circulaires.gouv.fr/pdf/2011/07/cir_33406.pdf

More here: http://www.french-property.com/news/french_health/cmu_eu_statement_aug_2011

[woolybanana]

Clause 1.3 seems to throw the cat right amongst the hunting dogs as it demands that private insurance offer substantially the same cover as the French system, with some small differences accepted. BUT, for those with long term illnesses, private insurance is not possible, which means they would be forbidden from becoming resident in France. Which is precisely what the original plaints to the European Court was about, wasn't it?

[cooperlola]

As I posted elsewhere earlier in the week, I understand from my contact in the French insurance industry that several people have succeded in getting into CMU and some have not.  My advice then, as now, is to apply and take your chance but be prepared to be rejected as much will depend upon local attitudes.  There's a lot of wiggle room in the new regs for the local authorities to play with.  Have a go, Joe, and see what happens.

[AnOther]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Have a go, Joe[/quote]

Showin me age now [:D][:D][:D]

[cooperlola]

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="cooperlola"]Have a go, Joe[/quote]
Showin me age now [:D][:D][:D]
[/quote]I first typed: "Have a go, o/p," and then altered it because I couldn't resist.[:)]

[AnOther]

You did click the link ?

[cooperlola]

[quote user="AnOther"]You did click the link ?

[/quote][:)]

[Joe]

Thanks for the comments.

I will go to CPAM.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Joe"]Thanks for the comments. I will go to CPAM.[/quote]Good luck - I say that advisedly as that does seem to be what it takes. In the cases that my contact knows about there has been neither rhyme nor reason.

[Sprogster]

Whereas the French C newspaper was initially positive, on the front page of the latest French C newspaper there is an updated article on the new regulations and it does not make good reading, as the latest view is nothing has changed with the revised regulations if anything being tougher! In that you still have to wait five years unless you can prove an unforseen accident of life since your arrival in France.

Apparently, as long as the five year rule towards early EU resident retirees moving to France is applied uniformly, like Spain does, it is not an EU concern.

Like advice already given, it is worth trying, but I would not get your hopes up, as the reality is France does not want early retirees moving there, unless you are wealthy.

[cooperlola]

Certainly, Sprogster, the new rules themselves don't seem, to my eye and with only a cursory read, to be very different from the old ones.  The only positive bit that I see is that there is less emphasis on the full PHI, so I do think one might get away with a hospital only policy or similar, whereas before it was quite obvious that that would not do.  But even there they are ambiguous at best.  However, as I say, some people have been let back in before their five years were up.

On the plus side also, the accident de vie rules seem to have been clarified at local level by the new rules, and they are being better applied, from anecotal evidence I have.

But honestly, I have not been keeping up as I used to.[:)]

[tinabee]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

Certainly, Sprogster, the new rules themselves don't seem, to my eye and with only a cursory read, to be very different from the old ones.  The only positive bit that I see is that there is less emphasis on the full PHI, so I do think one might get away with a hospital only policy or similar, whereas before it was quite obvious that that would not do.  But even there they are ambiguous at best.  However, as I say, some people have been let back in before their five years were up.

On the plus side also, the accident de vie rules seem to have been clarified at local level by the new rules, and they are being better applied, from anecotal evidence I have.

But honestly, I have not been keeping up as I used to.[:)]

[/quote]

Anecdotally, from an pm received by me - another couple have managed to get back into CMU after having had private health insurance.  Lesson, to quote Cooperlola: "give it a go, Joe!"[:)]

[Joe]

Just returned from CPAM in Pontivy.The answer was no.The person We spoke to had never heard of the new reg's.She photocopied the article in the C-------N newspaper and said she will contact her superiors.She did say that journalists may be pre empting the new rules by publishing now.

A friend of mine did the talking,my French is not that good yet.

[cooperlola]

Well, Pontivy should certainly have seen the circular, if not Connexion!

Here it is anyway:

http://www.circulaires.gouv.fr/pdf/2011/07/cir_33406.pdf

My belief is that this sums it up rather better than the other publication did:

http://www.french-property.com/news/french_health/cmu_eu_statement_aug_2011/

EDIT : Joe, you must read, in particular, the last part of the article I have given you the link to.  It outlines the procedures for appeal and, in a particularly sound piece of advice, suggests that you must get a written explanation of the reasons for refusal.  Have a go, Joe![:)]

(As an aside - it's not a Carte Vitale you are after but healthcare rights.  Don't confuse the two - the CV is an adminstrative tool only and means little in terms of what you are entitled to from the French state.  But I digress.)

[idun]

In fact the most important thing is the paper 'attestation' you get for your health care. Look after it well, if you get it.

 

As Coops says, CV's are just a useful tool for the public and the health service.

[Keni]

I have downloaded the new Gov. Paper and taken a translation for when my turn comes...

[chessie]

The original poster just wanted to be clear in their own minds and/or wanted clarification and advice on something.

But - the poster wanted some advice BEFORE heading off to 'see the appropriate office'....

Some of you on here have lived in France for years.    Some of you on here are no doubt extremely fluent in French.    Some of you no doubt have had years of experience of dealing with French bureaucracy, and French officialdom - and know how to deal with them

But sometimes, just sometimes, not all of us are that confident, or that fluent, or that experienced.    Sometimes when dealing with officialdom (either here or in the UK) - it is sometimes quite reassuring, and comforting, and confidence building - to have just a little bit of advice and help and information from people who've 'been here, done that....' - and know what pitfalls to avoid.....

Occassionally I think some of you forget just how intimidating a few of these official French set-ups can be.    There is absolutely no harm in asking advice and help from people here;   after all, information and advice is golden.    If you feel that you have some kind of information to back you up - it can help should you feel you are getting the run around, or the brush off or meet the 'public service employee from hell'.     We know that can happen.    To be forearmed with correct and useful information is extremely helpful - and helps keep your confidence in the face of - sometimes - b----y minded public servants.

Nice to have Cooperlola on here giving good sound and helpful advice.... one of our stars.

We all need help and advice from time - none of us knows it all......just remember

Chessie

Post edited by the moderators.

[NormanH]

Well expressed and tactfully said chessie.

The important point that should come out of these sorts of threads is, as I said at the beginning, to always go to the French official sources and quote the official 'textes'. They are the only ones with any official weight.

So many people are mislead by inaccurate reporting in British publications which they read because written in English.

If people need information to back them up the last place to look for it is in a certain paper

Those of  us who have lived here a while and are reasonably fluent get very frustrated having to correct the connection.

There is no excuse for not using the French sources. Often an English version is available, or one of the on-line translators can be used.

I often post links to such documents to try to help a poster, but I draw the line at translating every time.

[tinabee]

To support my earlier post regarding someone being admitted to CMU after having had private health insurance, here is what they took with them to support the application:

Proof of residence (EDF bills) .
Proof of income (Tax for 2011 "Avis d'Imposition des Impots" for 2010 + a spreadsheet print of current year (2011) pension/annuity income).
Proof that 100% Health Insurance has been in operation for the period that the applicant has been outside the CMU (AXA UK European Health Insurance certificates confirming 100% cover from the date we left the CMU).

I had a similar problem trying to get employed heath cover because my employment was short term contracts. The local office only knew to count 60 hours within a month to qualify, but I kept going back with the appropriate regulations (in French) and all my paperwork until someone accepted that a salary equivalent of 60 * SMIC was acceptable.

Keep trying if you believe you are in the right.

[cooperlola]

There is plenty of advice IN ENGLISH in the link to FPN which I posted and on our website (link below).  However, I do think that it is a good idea for Joe to take the FRENCH circular to the FRENCH CPAM.  Were I well and/or local to Joe then I would happily to along to the CPAM and help him out in a more practical hands-on way but I cannot.  Everybody (well most of us anyway) who posts advice on this forum, does so in order to help, not hinder and anybody who posts a query is free to ignore the repsonses should they wish to do so.  I think we have, between us, armed Joe with enough ammunition and advice to be going on with. 

Why must we turn every call for help into a slanging match?  Can't we have those on neutral boards, and not when people genuinely need our help?  Grrrrr. What must Joe (and other newer forum members) think of us? There are times when I wonder why anybody asks a question on here.