ChrisJH

Hi all,
I was recently sent a bill for 2016 by URSSAF for Puma - catch-all universal healthcover. I am a bit behind the curve and have been living without any healthcover in France as an official resident (UK citizen). Could anyone advise on how this works? I am happy to make the required contributions but does this entitle me to a Carte Vitale now or is it a parallel system? How do I go about using my new cover? Thanks!

EuroTrash

Yes, if you live in France you're automatically entitled to health cover (well in fact you are obliged to have health cover). Therefore you are entitled to a carte vitale. Not sure how you would claim it, I guess you just go to CPAM and they'll tell you what to do. The contributions you are about to pay are for the calendar year 2016 so in theory I guess you would also be entitled to claim partial reimbursement for any healthcare you paid out of your own pocket during 2016, if you kept the feuilles de soin.

Once you have all the paperwork you should register a "médecin traitant" as your regular doctor, because you get a higher level of reimbursement for treatment provided by/prescribed by/arranged by your own MT. You may also want to consider taking out some kind mutuelle or "top up" cover, to cover the percentage of medical costs that the state doesn't reimburse. But that's entirely up to you, some people have full top up, some have hospital only top up, and some people have no top up at all.

Hope this helps.

ChrisJH

Ok, great - sounds like a plan. I'll visit the local CPAM and see where I go from there. Thanks.