Roch470

Can someone help me please understand what we will need to do.
My husband and I are both 62 and retiring at the end of April. We are planning to move to live in France and I am confused about how we will stand in respect of medical cover.
I am in receipt of a State Pension here in the UK but my husband is not entitled until he reaches 65.
Will I be covered under the French system because I am retired? and does my husband come under that through living with me? do we need to sort out additional cover?
Thanks in advance

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
At retirement age, it's highly recommended to take out a Mutuelle (top-up cover) once you're in the French system, to reimburse the 30% that the French S.S. doesn't reimburse. You do this here after you've sorted out your situation.
Some one in the know will come along to explain what you steps you should take before you leave the UK (and when you arrive here).
Don't hesitate to ask other questions about general life in France!

cjm

Agree with dmu, you need to take out a top-up insurance, a 'mutuelle', this may be around €75 pcm for both. You also need a Carte Vitale (health card), which with the mutuelle will recompense for much of the health costs, prescriptions, including the €23 you need to give in cash to your GP at an appointment.

Take a look at these: one is FCO and the other is a recent Telegraph story.

http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help...hen-you-retire

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/ex...alth-care.html

Pensions can be paid into UK bank or French bank, but you need to auththorise.

If you start by accepting French and UK health systems are totally different that will help you. As dmu says post any queries.

grannybunz

Hello and welcome

We moved here parmanently 10 years ago when I was 60. It was easy to get our health cover transferred from the UK to France, though I am the person to whom everything is sent because, like you, I was the one who could claim

You may find some of these helpful:

http://www.connexionfrance.com/expat...ion-sheets.php

My husband is bilingual and I speak good French which, I have to say is a huge help. My problem is that I find writing in French difficult (let's face it writing in English isn't that good!!) but fortunately himself is perfectly at home filling in forms etc etc which you will certainlly have to do. You will be covered by your British EHIC until you get things sorted.

Once you arrive and have your Carte Vitale (that gives you access to the French Health Service - there is a helpful booklet on the site mentioned) and your Mutuelle (Top -up) you need to register with a local doctor who will becaome your médican traitant (ie GP).

Ask around and visit a couple, if that is possible, so you can find someone with whom you feel comfortable. Your British GP should provide a summary of your health record even if they are reluctant to provide the whole thing, which in fact they should do but it is hard enough to get records transferred within the UK in our experience.

Have a look at the link I gave and read a bit more then if you have further questions just shout!

Good luck

dennerlymum

Just a reminder... for a carte vitale you need to have an officially translated copy of your full birth certificate and mariage certificate as well as proof of residence amongst other things

grannybunz

We didn't

Just the relevant piece of paper from the UK.

dennerlymum

oh;; here in Toulouse it has been obligatory since July

grannybunz

Good point then. We got ours 10 years ago!!

Great that there is so much up-to-date information here.

We didn't even need a médecin traitant when we "joined up"

Roch470

Thank you all for your advice. Where would we get an "officially translated" copy of our documents please.

cjm

Not required in our neck, when we came out in 08. UK versions accepted.

EuroTrash

Quite, but the OP is coming out in 2013.

Expat life was so much simpler in 08...

scot47

If you have the State Retiremenet Pension from the Uk you are entitled to medical treatment in another EU member State if you choose to live tyhgere. You get a form from DWP that gives you this entitlement.

Not sure about your husband who has not yet received SRP

Check things out starting here

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens...e/index_en.htm

grannybunz

As far as understand, if you are married then whichever spouse reaches state retirement age can claim a carte vitale for self and spouse.

That is what happened to us. I still get all the stuff from CEPAM addressed to me.

dennerlymum

for translations try entering translation assermente into google and a list should come up ...

I came in 2007 and could just hand over my English docs too...really cant see why they demand translations of birth certs... they are pretty self explanatory!

dennerlymum

If you post once more, then i can PM you a link to a person who does this type of translation