Contents of article "Choosing your health insurance"
Choosing your health insurance
Choosing your health insurance
BREAKING NEWS
24th January 2008
The British Embassy, Paris today announced that ALL early-retired inactive non-French Europeans who were legally resident in France on or before 23rd November 2007 will be allowed to stay in or join the CMU, including E106 holders. A copy of the e-mail received from the Embassy is
here.
frenchhealthissuesThe French healthcare system is currently the subject
of vast reform and what is true today may not
be true tomorrow ... so in a nutshell...
- If you are of UK state pension age you will continue to benefit
from state health care.
- If you were already registered with the CMU (Couverture Maladie
Universelle) before
the 23rd November
2007, you may
continue to pay
your contributions and benefit from state health care.
- If you can prove that you have lived in France for 5 years (minimum
six months uninterrupted residence per year), you can remain
with or join the CMU and benefit from state health care.
- If you have a chronic or pre existing medical condition, or a
sudden life change such as illness, redundancy or death of a spouse and are unable to obtain private health you may appeal for entry
into the French health care system. (Beware! Local CPAMs have the
power to interpret special circumstances individually, on a case-bycase
basis, so may well be open to interpretation from region to
region! Ooops!)
We put some of your insurance questions to Jean-Paul
Sicre of Generali Argeles, an English speaker who has studied
the British health care situation in France.
What is the minimum insurance
people should be looking at?
Any basic policy should offer partial or
total refund of all hospitalisation costs,
primary care expenses, i.e. medical fees,
tests, and drugs at the same rates as the
French state healthcare system. Beware
policies that have been introduced at
short notice in response to the new legislation
as they may not be "tried and
tested".
What are the risks/consequences
of NOT taking out any health
insurance?
Apart from the obvious risk of being faced
with massive bills in case of illness or accident,
inactive EU citizens living in France
without proper health insurance will now
be considered to be living illegally in
this country.
What questions should people be
asking their insurers?
Besides the obvious questions, they
should check possible age limits, excesses,
annual financial limits, life cover,
cover of pre-existing conditions, direct
refunds of hospital costs (no payment
needed), etc.
Local fluent English speaking support
may also be essential to take you through
the small print.
For those who DO still benefit
from state health care, why is a
"mutuelle"or top up insurance so
important?
The French healthcare system repays only
a percentage of medical costs, next to
nothing for modern dental and optical
treatments and nothing for ambulance
costs, a stay in hospital, the use of a private
room…. To make up the increasing
difference of what the State does not
cover, a mutuelle is strongly advised.
What is the next step for those
who find themselves with an
E106 form that has expired, or is
about to expire?
They should discuss their situation with
their local CPAM office or give us a ring,
since there is still uncertainty as to how
the rules of the new circular are to be
applied. In the (unlikely) event of the
government making further concessions
to E106 holders, your policy with Generali
would automatically become null and
void if you were accepted back into the
state system.
You can contact Jean-Paul for insurance advice at the address below
Jean-Paul SICRE
CABINET MONS & GIANNOTTI
2 avenue des Flamants Roses
B.P. 37
66700 ARGELES SUR MER
Tél. 04 68 81 02 10 - Fax 04 68 81 35 78
ALL TYPES OF INSURANCE
cars and properties, boats,
top up and comprehensive healthcare,
pensions, life insurance, travel,
legal assistance, business risks, finance
