Did no one read my post about how (sadly) the NHS often works in the UK? And we do pay - via NI.
And check out the Justice for Lucie facebook page if you want a further example of how things can go wrong.
And Vicky - your comment that "
That's true there is no NHS here, even the regime de base isn't free if you can get it and then you have to pay for top up insurance and still can't get 100% cover or sans reste a charge as they say here." is simply not true.
I agree many things suck in France including bank charges - but slagging off everything is simply silly.
Steve it does work in smaller areas where everyone knows eachother.....here my husband used to be allowed his tabs before his script hit the small village chemist. In our town in France....they will only allow him his script one month at a time....ludicrous...in the UK he gets 6 months script at a time. Saves lots of time ordering and collecting scripts
It makes sense because the Carte Vitale says you have an ALD for treatment of your "qualifying" illness, the ALD doesn't cover any other lurgy you might get. So the doc needs to say on each scrip that these drugs are for the "qualifying condition" (and these other drugs aren't). But yes with some of my docs I need to be on the ball or else they forget.
On the plus side for my Fench medications experience, after a while when the local pharmacy got to know me they've bunged me some drugs a couple of times on a promise that I'll come in with the scrip tomorrow. I can't imagine that happening in UK, actually it didn't happen when I asked pretty please. VLF.
Jane it seems very unfair. I know the UK and the NHS doesnt always work well....but bottom line for me is that I know the rules and when I complain...I am listened to. Not always good for those who wont complain, but ok if you stand up for yourself. My appt. for my hip replacement was brought forward last Wednesday, a letter said my appt. was now 11th Dec. rather than 14 Jan. I rang and said I was a bit worried as it was pre xmas...had the family here...and flying to Inverness for a family New Year...the receptionist was brilliant...she chatted for a few minutes, put me through to the ward sister who couldnt have been more helpful. They gave me 2 days grace to decide. Next day...another letter...appt. was now 27th November...rang back, same receptionist...who laughed with me and confirmed my new appt. I felt in control and as if the team were on my side.
I have ALD for cancer here in France and it is a joke. Half of the time they forget to put ALD on the prescription. It is already on my Carte Vitale, but no they want it on the prescription as well.
I opted not to have reconstruction after my mastectomy and had my prosthesis renewed free of charge every two years.
Here, Inhad to pay an extra 120 euros, as the amount that is refunded by the CPAM is so low that the percentage refunded by my Mutuelle does not cover the total charge.
I have found that the secretariat for my onchologist is absolutely terrible. They are totally inefficient.
haha! sorry Finn....I typed my comment under Brian's...when he talked about paying for epilepsy drugs which are free in the UK.....our comments don't always appear under the comment they were meant for, yours appeared at the top of a page...so I didn't tie it in.....you see...I would make a rubbish politician, I tell the truth!
Finn...who are you responding to (I don't quite understand what it is you disagree with, as we're now at maximum nesting, so it's unclear what you respond to.) cant tie it in to the comments around it....
Proof epilepsy treatment is free in the UK http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/aboutepilepsy/treatment/medicationforadults from this bottom line is... A note on prescriptions In England people with epilepsy are entitled to free prescriptions for their AEDs and any other medication (called ‘medical exemption’). To apply, fill in an FP92A form from your GP surgery. Everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland gets free prescriptions
again, disagree. My husband will die without daily thyroid treatment, but he has to pay in full for the tablets. In the UK with epilepsy, as in all cases with chronic conditions that require medication to maintain life...it is free as is his thyroxine!
Disagree Finn...my sister in law has lived in the UK for coming up to 2 years...the French administration still hounding them. They went as pensioners..with limited pension from the UK and no pension from Australia where they had lived for 20 years previously. They bought their own house, but lived on very limited funds. They didnt have to pay all their taxes....but still......they have forms sent to their UK home, and demands for small amounts of euros...personally....I would have left with no forwarding address. If it wasnt for the holiday home we will keep in France, thats exactly what we would do!
So I've written back to them saying he has an S1 he is liable to the UK in terms of social charges/security. He's retired. Oh and I quoted the EU regulation, I hope this CSG/CRDS thing goes away!
Finn, it is what I meant but was saying rhetorically. £104 (I imagine in her case that is what she does) is quite a lot. It is all the bullsh.. about free NHS that she objects to. 'epilepsy requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy' is most certainly free in France, I have been recieving that since February in case I have epilepsy, when all the (other) tests I have forthcoming have concluded one way or the other.
I use the prepaid in the UK Finn....having had an ongoing hip condition, my choice I didnt want it replaced before...but I take half a dozen different meds for the hip plus hormones...the £104 saves me more than double that...and for a year its a bargain...plus no 22 euros when I visit my GP!
Thats another reason my husband is grumpy...he has a lifelong condition that requires daily medication....in the UK he didnt have to pay...here he pays a small fortune....yet they actually cost about 2p each tablet!
The joys of living in a capitol city eh? my friends daughter is training to be a teacher and has a year in France, in Paris, working as a teaching assistant in a school. She hasn't stopped complaining about the miseries of living in Paris, the cupboard she is living in that they call a studio. The fact she cant walk out at night without being harrassed. Has had her purse pinched whilst at an outside cafe....spending a fortune for her food; more interestingly, the teachers leave the school in pairs, the violence from pupils is such a problem. Many of the pupils are immigrants and dont speak French. She cant have her car from the UK as there is no where off meter to park it. No pubs to go to, just very expensive cafe's and restaurants. City living just isn't for everyone.
Interesting point you are making Bob. My sister lives in an affluent SW London borough, has a small flat and a very small business. For the flat she pays more than you did which I take to be a while ago, has communal wheelie bins that are emptied every two weeks, so usually overflowing at that. She runs a domestic cleaning and house watching business. They have two rooms in what was once a shop, there are now some offices in the other bits. They have to pay business rates. They have no rubbish collection outside and have to go way along the road to the nearest wheelie bins. Last year there were break-ins, so she had an alarm system installed because she has cleaning equipment that might be stolen. It was noticed and her business rate put up. When a small concern a couple of places away was turned over last year, they had to wait two days before a couple of constables turned up to have a look, write some notes and never heard of again. Paid for by rates too I believe. Both places are water metered but at work they use less than she uses at home but pay much more. Where they could park outside, and why my sister took that place for her 'HQ', has been made into a bus lane for a diverted route so no parking allowed, not even for 10 seconds to pick up heavy industrial cleaners. If she tries to get out of her lease the penalty is enormous because of the Rachmann style property company who own most of that street. She has several ailments to back and knees because she has continued to work for some customers who insist on having the boss, none of her physio is NHS because it would not be available. Sure, she sees the doctor free of charge (most of ours is reimbursed here anyway) but then rolls out a wad of loot for her prescriptions. Like you Bob, I could roll them out if I asked sis, the obvious ones, the hidden ones, the total rip-off ones and pointless ones and all the rest. Easy to moan about it here, then slink off home and keep quiet about it there... hmmmm?