How health care system works


Will You Still Be Covered By The Health System In France?

At the beginning of September a wave of panicIn the short term, new arrivals in France
and confusion passed through the expatdon't need to worry as they can be covered
community in France : radical measures byfor up to 2 years by using the E106 form-
France's new president would soon bethis cost being met by the UK government.
introduced meaning that thousands of BritonsPrivate health care will have to be taken out
enjoying early retirement in France couldand paid for by these individuals in the long
lose their rights to state health care underterm though. Cover starts at around 1800
a new law that limits benefits to nonworkingEuros per year for a healthy 60 year old
expatriates. The new rules will apply to allrequiring only basic cover and who is willing
non French EU nationals, not only to theto pay a top-up himself for certain
Brits. During his election campaign earliertreatments. If the same person requires full
this year Mr Sarkozy said: "If you think 53cover then the cost of insurance will be
makes you old enough to retire, then fine, goaround 2700 Euros per year which when you
ahead and retire. But don't expect the statecompare it to the cost of private medical
to  pay  for  it."cover in the UK is actually still very
reasonable.
The change concerns Britons who have retired
to France, are not working, and are not yetExpats who are employed, self-employed or who
old enough to receive a UK pension, whichare living with or married to a French person
represents  around  6,000  people.are unaffected. It is the same for those who
are living with or married to a person in
Until now British expats were allowed to paypossession  of  an  E121  or  E106  form.
contributions (8% of their income) in order
to get treatment through the FrenchThe French government points out that, as
health-care system via the Couverturelaid down in EU Directive 2004/38, it does
Medicale Universelle(CMU) but most of themnot have any obligation to pay the
previously covered by the NHS took up Frenchhealth-care costs of non French EU nationals
residence before retirement age and benefitedwho have never worked in the country, and nor
from France's healthcare system without evendoes it have any obligation to let them pay
paying for it. This of course is unfair asto join the French health-care insurance
France should not have to foot the bill ofsystem via the CMU. With the highest public
early retirees just because they werespending in the EU, France is desperate to
benevolent  enough  to  do  so  in  the past.reduce its deficit and isn't willing to carry
on  spending  to  benefit  immigrants.
There is a similar situation for these early
retired expats on low incomes who won't beThere are however a good number of people who
able to claim free health insurance via thecome to France who are disabled or with
CMU anymore or for those who have reached UKserious conditions who may be denied free
retirement age but do not qualify for a UKtreatment. The negative publicity from this
pension.may encourage the French authorities to
re-think this attitude to those specific
For all those expats insured via the CMU, thegroups of people. And there is a possibility
French authorities will give them until endthey will allow expats taking early
of March 2008 to find private healthretirement in France to continue paying their
insurance. However these changes won't affecthealth insurance contributions via the CMU.
retired people receiving a state pension fromWe will not know for sure until the beginning
the UK. They will keep their health insuranceof 2008 when the final laws have been passed
in  France  via  form  E121.and will update you as soon as we hear about
it.



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