chancer

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum, and I'm after some answers to my situation.

I work for a company in the UK which pays my salary into my French bank account (my pay slips are still in GBP).

I moved to France recently and would like to register with the heath service here. I don't often bother with the doctors/dentist/optician, but after falling ill recently I realised it might be useful to be able to see a doctor!

I tried to register with the health service and got a snotty reply saying that as I'm paid by a UK company and am a British citizen I should look to the NHS for my health service - I was told if I became seriously I'll I'd have to fly to the UK to avoid a hefty bill.

This seems somewhat strange to me. I'm living permanently in France since the start of this year, and as of next tax year-end I'll be paying French tax.

Anyone got any advice?

Thx,
Chancer

jdr

I would of thought it would be the same as Spain, once you are paying taxes then you are entitled to the health service.

chancer

I think the problem I have is that I have yet started paying tax in France, it won't be until the end of this tax year I fill out the correct forms to pay tax.

Ka Ora!

Right to start you can get you E111 card thingy from the uk and go to your local mutual office and take out top up insurance this will cover you for urgent treatment. this is how we started out although at the time we did not know about the top up requirement and got a bill from Smur for my journey to hospital in an ambulance. Thank god the treatment for the heart attack was 100 percent.

If you are living in france and conducting your work in France then you should be registered to pay French tax and NI.

You need need to contact the overseas work and pensions dept to get a E106 this will entitles you to Two years cover on the French System and as i said you will need the top up insurance to cover the cost of Care that the health system does not cover. There is a Basic cover called CMU but this does not provide the best cover and we have never used it. You take the e106 to the Assurance Maladie you can then get registered on the system.

Things are slightly different for us as i am covered by a E121 with no cut off Date due to being medically retired very early on in life. Some people may have used different methods of being covered but get the E111 sharpish as if you were to have Urgent Treatment this would be reqired. Or a big bill could turn up from the Tresor Public my last Hospital Bill was to the tune of 800,000,00

chancer

Thanks for the informative reply! I don't speak much French, but my other-half is French and has tried to help me out, but I'm convince it's more complicated then it appears.

I have a Eurpean Health Insurance Card, but not sure how good that is for my situation. The problem is that I haven't actually been 'posted' in France by my company, I convinced my company I can do my job from here. So I don't want to cause problems to my firm, and would rather deal with this issue myself.

Thx,
Chancer

Mitzyboy

Its an E106 form that you should have aquired from the DWP. If you approach them, tell them you have moved to France, and that you require an E106 to be issued, they will work out what period of cover under the French system you will get ... up to two years I believe.

This should cover you until you start contributing to the French system and thereby getting state health cover

Problem is, I think you have to apply for an E106 before you leave the country.

Ka Ora!

It has just come to mind that if you are paying NI contributions in the UK then they will not issue a E106 as your still technically in the uk for tax purposes.

Mitzyboy

Yes but OP is going to stop paying tax / NI in the UK and pay tax in France in future

chancer

I have actually filled out a P85 (??) which will stop UK Tax being taken out of my wages.

I'm going to investigate all the info mentioned on this thread, I would have thought there would be plenty of info on the web about this kind of thing, but am surprised at how little detail there is. Maybe I'm not googling the right terms.

cherokee

As far as I am aware, if you reside in France for more thean 3 months and you wish to avail yourself of the Health System in France without having to pay then you need to contribute to the system.You will then have cover for around 60-70% of your medical bills so you have to get a top up 'mutuelle'/insurance or pay the rest yourself.
If you are residing in France then you should apply to the DWP in Newcastle for an e106 and providing you have a history of paying NI contributions then you will be eligible for coverage for up to 2 years.
You will need to take this to CPAM.
You are still paying contributions so you will be eligible despite the fact that you have left UK as I applied for mine a couple of months retrospectively.
You will need to apply for the E111 French equivilent if you are going to go back to UK for hols in the future.

SuzieB

Hi

I moved to France in February. I applied to the DWP in UK for cover for health, depending on your NI contributions they will cover up to 2 years for approx 70/75% of cost - rest should be mutuelle cover in France. They provide form E106, 2 copies which you should take to CPAM to complete. You don't fill out at all! CPAM complete forms but take passport & birth certificate. In saying this I went with forms etc. only to be told I can be covered on my partners health cover (he is French). Therefore, they took only copy of birth certificate and his details (also take copy of proof of address). He also has "top up" cover which he can also use to cover me for 25% difference.
We are still waiting due to admin probs, but hopefully will be sorted soon.

I have been told by the DWP the card E112 Health Insurance card does not cover once you are resident. The best thing is to call them, they are very helpful and it needs to be sorted out quickly.

Good luck - Sue

chancer

Thanks for all the feedback!

Looks like I need to hunt down this E106 from DWP, I'll get on to that.

The added complication is that I have to be away with work for around 3 months! But hopefully my travel insurance will cover me during that period - in the meantime I'm avoiding any serious illness

Thx,
Chancer

Debbie June

Sorry, only just read your dilemma. My hubby (whos French) works and is paid in UK. Me (Brit) doesn't work and live in France - our principle home. We are covered under the E109 as hubby is paying NI in Britain. We get reimboursed by France who in turn gets the cash back from Britain. You have to ask your DWP for leaflet SA29 (all is explained) and fill in a demand for health cover abroad. Your european health card only covers you in emergencies and you can't use it all the time. By the way, if you get cover under the E106 or E109 your healthcard will be a French one, and it's only valid a year (they just simply love paperwork!). Good luck.