briand

HI, I need some good advice. It concerns my Dad, who is 88 and want to move to France and live with my brother as his wife recently died.

He currently gets in the UK his old age pension and an attendance allowance, plus of course medical care here in the UK.

What we need to know is firstly will his attendance allowance, worth about 200 pounds a month continued to be paid. Weve contacted a department called the Portability Section, but they are very vague about things and not much help.

Secondly, weve heard about the Carte Vitale, which I think he can apply for, but were not sure what benefits this will give him.

Any advice greatfully received

Brian

dmu

Hello again!
I forgot to mention that your Dad would have to get the necessary documents from Newcastle before coming here.
Someone who has done this will come along with details...

wetwang

He will be covered health-wise for 12 months under a reciprocal agreement. After that the only way to get subsidised health service is via a combination of personal insurance (excluding pre-existing conditions) and the Carte Vitale. Every time he goes to the Doctor for instance he will have to pay £22 and if he has to go into hospital they will require a credit card to back up any failed claims against the UK National health system
If your brother is in the system with a Carte Vitale there is a chance he might get him in as a dependent but getting a Carte Vitale unless you work and pay tax is close to impossible.

Its a very difficult area for people in this situation and I will watch this thread to see if anyone has anything encouraging to add

EmilyA

If someone of 88 is moving to France and becoming resident (and tax resident) then they can apply to CPAM for a Carte Vitale with an S1 form (fomerly known as the E121), under the reciprocal arrangements for pensioners. As far as I know he would still need a top-up insurance, but this should not exclude pre-existing conditions, though the cost of it rises as you get older. He would continue to get his state pension; I don't know about the attendance allowance, but I would doubt that it would be continued.

dmu

I've never heard of the equivalent of an attendance allowance in France, I'm not even sure what it is.
If the father lived by himself in France, he would be entitled to an Auxiliaire de Vie (home help), but since he'll be living with his son....
The CPAM decides what home nursing care will be "free", depending on the illness. I have an 88 year old neighbour (British) who pays for any home visits by a nurse and is reimbursed 70% (she's the first to regret not having taken out a Mutuelle long ago). Her elderly French partner pays nothing, but his health problems are different.
The OP's brother, who knows all the pre-existing conditions, should make enquiries at his CPAM to find out what rights his father would have, either independently or under his own Carte Vitale as a dependent.
Good luck!

Tweedpipe

I agree with these comments.

Oh, and for any new residents (pensioners or not) imho a Mutuelle is a MUST.

briand

Thanks.

For now, what isCPAM?

EmilyA

CPAM is the Caisse Primaire d' Assurance Maladie. In France you have different caisses to take care of health insurance for different occupations. The CPAM is the one that looks after people on UK S1 forms (and lots of French people too). They have branches in most towns.

melbatb

My parents and ILs moved here once they had retired. They got the aforementioned form and the carte vitale. They have the mutuelle cover too. In both my Mum's and MIL's case they have 100% cover due to pre-existing conditions (asthma and arthritis). They have the mutuelle though to cofer things like a single room in hospital. They all found the process very easy.

TinaBee

Have a look at this website for what Benefits can be exported - it does look like Attendance Allowance is covered . . .

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/BritonsL...oad/DG_4000102

And this one to apply for the S1 (E121) form to obtain healthcare.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...ingabroad.aspx

This article explains the French Healthcare system
http://www.frenchentree.com/fe-healt...cle.asp?ID=197

For top-up health insurance (mutuelle) it may be a bit more difficult due to his age, but if you google "mutuelle senior" there are special policies available.
Otherwise, I would suggest that if you brother alread has a mutuelle, they maybe willing to cover your father as well.

Im_and_Er

As I understand it only the care component of the attendance allowance is exportable, not the whole benefit.

With an S1 he should be able to join the French health system regardless of age.

I have no idea what Wetwang is talking about with his/her 12 months reciprocal agreement

Tweedpipe

Yep, that fooled me to.
And although only a detail, the stated £22 to be paid every time one goes to the doctor isn't quite exact. It's 23€ (approx £20).

briand

OK, thanks everyone

rgs


Brian

Peabrain

Hi,
For someone who is 88 years old, the cost of a mutuelle is liable to be high. I'm 65 and the extra cover insurance that I subscribe to through my bank, (LCL) costs me 90 euros per month, and even with that not everything is covered. Are you sure such a move is wise? I had thought of bringing my father over here. He spoke French fluently but we eventually decided that it wasn't worth the risk of being suddenly landed in a strange environment, plus the inevitable hassle.

dmu

Hi, the thought did occur to me, too. My father, who was 84 at the time, came here when my mother died, and lasted precisely two months! He missed his English TV, newspapers, allotment, virtually had only me to talk to (French OH speaks English, but ...), and returned "home" to live in sheltered accommodation near other family. A friend's elderly mother-in-law returned "home" after several frustrating stays in hospital where the staff didn't speak English.
Maybe a trial period would be worth considering, to see how he copes?