THE impact of changes to the provision of health care for those people living in France, who are under the retirement age and not working are beginning to crystallise.
The Connexions newspaper has followed up on its earlier story after speaking to the French Ministry of Health and the Department of Health in the UK.
The French ministry has said that provision of Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU) will be withdrawn from EU citizens if, in the case of Brits, they are under the UK state retirement age, not in receipt of an E106 and not working.
No account will be made of person's financial situation, and those people currently affiliated to CMU will see their provision withdrawn - although no time frame has been given for this move.
As The Connexions newspaper highlights there is still much to be worked out, with the French authorities promising to provide more information in the near future.
There is a national English-language helpline for CPAM, the French state healthcare administrator, which is advising people on the situation. The number is 08.20.90.42.12.
Related article:
Changes to health provision cause worries
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Here is the latest twist.
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France ‘will allow healthcare affiliation to continue for British early retirees’
Last week no, this week yes
Latest reports indicate that France will allow early retiree Britons living in France to continue to be affiliated to its national healthcare system (CMU).
Last week the French Health Ministry and the national health authority (CPAM) said that CMU affiliation, based on payment related to income, was to be denied to those already in the system and newcomers to France irrespective of their financial situation. At least one official letter has also been sent to a Briton in France saying his affiliation to CMU is now denied and he must return his carte vitale.
The news - yet to be confirmed by the French Ministry of Health – was announced in a release from the British Embassy in Paris on Wednesday September 12. It came after a meeting between the ministry and the British Embassy in Paris on Monday September 10.
The Embassy statement reads:
“The British Embassy are in close touch with the French Ministry of Health to clarify the situation regarding healthcare provision for EU citizens who are inactive and below retirement age in France. The French authorities are applying strictly the EU Directive (2004/38) which will mean modifying the healthcare coverage available to some inactive people, including early retirees, from other EU countries who will be taking up residence in France. However, the French Ministry of Health have assured us that the provision of healthcare to people already resident in France will not be affected.”
The Embassy stressed that this was not an issue specific to Britons but applied to all EU citizens who come to live in France.
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http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=36
Posted by: Sarah Smith | 13 September 2007 at 13:17