dmu

Healthcare insurance is compulsory in France. There are 4 possibilities:

i) by being employed and paying "côtisations" into the Régime Général of the French S.S. This gives the same healthcare coverage as the French receive, i.e. reimbursement of approx. 70% of medical expenses. It's recommended to take out a Mutuelle (top-up insurance) which will reimburse the 30% (the percentages are much lower for spectacles, false teeth and specialists who aren't "conventionnés" (attached to the S.S.)). For certain ailments (e.g. cancer, diabetes, heart problems....) the Doctor can classify it as an ALD (Affection de Longue Durée) and the patient pays nothing (but only concerning the ailment in question).
ii) by being registered as an Auto-Entrepreneur, Micro-Entreprise or other self-employed business structure. The same applies concerning reimbursement and the advisability of taking out a Mutuelle.
c) by being in receipt of a UK State Pension and obtaining the S1 form issued by the DWP office in Newcastle and presenting it to the local CPAM. Likewise the same rights as a French citizen, and, at that age, indispensable to take out a Mutuelle.
d) for those not in the above categories, called "inactifs", they must take out private healthcare insurance until they do enter one of them.

Some points must be amplified by those more in the know. For example, the steps to be taken to obtain the Carte Vitale.
All corrections and additions welcome!

EuroTrash

d) ii) Alternatively, inactifs can apply to join CPAM and if they meet the criteria and are accepted, they pay cotisations annually, based on their income.

dmu

Yes, I forgot they could do that under certain conditions. But what income is taken into account if they aren't working? (bank interests? dividends? rentals? ....)

cyrian

Healthcare is also available for those on temporary employment in France where they are covered by the UK - using an S1??

Chatter Static

Is that the rather down payment some folk have had to make to join the French health system?

Plus the lead time on getting a Carte Vitale if you pick (c) or (d) tends to be rather long these days.

EuroTrash

Well they're probably going to have some income aren't they, or what do they live on?
Most early retirees are in receipt of pensions albeit not state retirement pensions, or as you say dividends, investment income, rentals.
They don't need a high income, less than 10K at any rate.
Of course if they don't have sufficient income and they literally do live off savings, ie just spending what's in their bank, then obviously they don't meet the criteria and they won't be accepted.

dfjordan

Very useful information. In the case of people in c) above, is there any age restriction on taking out a Mutuelle?

EuroTrash

No, although the premiums do tend to go up each time you move up into the next age band.

bigglesworth

dmu, do you not mean in receipt of an EU pension, as I assume these are common rules?
I say this not to be pedantic, but there are several British members who have lived and worked in other EU countries looking to retire to France.

dmu

Yes, but since the thread was originally intended to inform future UK retiree expats coming directly from the UK, I didn't think to mention those who have worked in a EU country and are entitled, too. Not to mention those who lived and worked "overseas" (compared to France)....
Thanks for pointing it out!

bigglesworth

Sorry, I did not mean to be pernickety.

dmu

Not pernickity, nor pedantic!!
As mentioned, corrections and additions welcome!

dmu

https://www.service-public.fr/partic...ualites/A10282

Came across this info. CMU no longer exists, replaced by PUMA.
Among other things, regular renewed applications will no longer be required, and adult "ayants droit" (dependant beneficiaries) can now register separately, which will simplify matters in the event of loss of employment, death of one of the spouses or separation/divorce.
No idea how this will be implemented in practice for EU expats who aren't already in the Régime Général or RSI, especially those planning to move to France without a job lined up.

Additions welcome!!

EuroTrash

Yes, I think we'll have to wait and see all over again. Some people are confident that acceptance under PUMA will be automatic for all expats, whether actif or inactif. Having read a few of the government reports, there are parts that are very much open to interpretation, and it's pretty clear that the objective is to cut back on the overall cost of providing healthcare rather than to splash out more money. Whilst googling I came across this chart where there is no arrow linking EU early retirees to the carte vitale holder box, I don't know if that is significant or not, and there is no date on this document.
http://social-sante.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/..._etrangers.pdf

I don't think S1 holders need to worry about anything in any case.

Shirtback

Here's an explanation I found of PUMA, which appears to answer some questions mentioned above about expat eligibility:
Le portail du service public de la Sécurité sociale / La mise en place de la Protection (...)