Chronic illnesses and living in France

HI Clive,

I went on long term incapacity due to getting ill and no longer being able to work in 2008, in 2009 they told me it was no longer IB but ESA, when i came here they said my illnesses were such that I would probably get it for the rest of my life but obviously would have to fill out forms etc and provide evidence that I suddenly was not miraculously cured. then this year they told me that they are stopping my IB due to the fact that I live in France and cannot attend the work group programme (still not sure why they put me in this group but hitting a brick wall with my questions) because they do not do the programmes in France!

they told me to apply for the French equivelent benefit which I have because until I go through all the process they will not budge from their decision - I have a great problem with this because I feel that having paid 35 years of taxes and national insurance into the UK then it should be the UK that pays my IB. I never ever imagined myself feeling so degraded as they have made me feel and I am having real difficulties dealing with what I can only describe as feelings of shame when I speak to anyone in the departments here.

I have to get back in touch with them when the decisions have been made over here as to whether I get anything or not. Just thought I would share that :)

haha me too Graham, I have circulated it and put it on FB too x

Brian, I have signed the petition. Thank you.

British subjects intending to live in other countries should be aware that not all UK benefits are exportable. For instance, my partner received Income Support in the UK, but cannot receive it in France.

Clive

Averil, please also circulate the petition to all your friends, family, colleagues and social media contacts. As I was brought up to believe nothing ventured nothing gained!

done! thanks for sending that link

Not sure if these petitions do any good but always worth trying hey :)

Erhh I am french Brian - I have dual nationality so feel well placed to offer an opinion. I will be entitled to a UK pension in a few years as well as my french pension next year. I have a son in the UK as well as other family members. My last visit to the UK was about ten years ago to bury my father. I have no desire to return even for holidays tho' circumstances may dictate I return in the near future. I have watched the progression of the EU since the beginning of UK participation and the efforts of Mrs Thatcher and others probably to get the UK a better deal appear to have have been in vain.

I'm not anti-europe just sceptical about the way both the UK and France are being duped by the system so maybe we do have something in common after all ?

France is a great country and i'm proud to be a part of it but I do get upset when I read of some visitors to my/our country showing disapproval because they can't always have their cake and eat it ! If anyone decides to settle in France then surely it's up to them to accept the country, it's system as well as the people as it all is, warts and all. If this is a problem then the UK or elsewhere within this european utopia is always an option.

...."few have signed the petition".... because many can't be bothered for whatever reason or they are maybe satisfied more or less with the present system and maybe feel any petition wouldn't change a great deal. I think it's called 'apathy'.

The fact that 'me and mine' are only partially dependant on the UK is irrelevant. I have chosen France as my domicile and accept the conditions that come with it. If I didn't like it, chomage and all after being laid-off twice plus the rest, I would do something about it...

@ Brian - The red white and blue stripes on a member's profile photo show that they have been voted Member of the Month.

I suppose that you are in no way dependent on the UK Government for penions of any kind, on exchange rates, medical support. You perhaps have severed all connections with Britain including family and their concerns. I suppose you and yours are totally self sufficient and in no manner of way dependent on the UK State and its deliberations. If all that is so - then fine. I see you have the French tricolor on your profile item. Why not take on French nationality? I do not speak for you but I do utter concerns which affect many pensioners and British people who are concerned about the relationship of the Uk as a member of the EU.

Without the cover of the EU -No- British person has the automatic right to live in France.

"We must have representation and a voice"

Why must 'we' ?

Not all of us are happy with the great nanny state that is the EU. With respect Brian, don't speak on my behalf. I was initially a great supporter of the EU club but those days are long gone.

I had been following this thread, with much sympathy. For myself, I have no ailments of any consequence and have reached 82 years. I am very sympathetic to those much younger who have taken the 'freedom of movement' principle of the European Union to seek some better climate for the sake of their health. The 'but' is that such a facility is on the back of the European Union treaties.

I expected someone to observe that for people aged below retirement age, the services of the French medical system is not easily available until they have become resident for a period of time - Cover from the UK is limited to, I believe, two years. For retired people (carriers of the S1 formula) it is straightforward, though the costs of a top-up insurance can be heavy. Benefits acquired in the UK should be be exportable at all ages.

However if any referendum were to result in the UK falling out of the EU [The UKIP movement!], we would be in a 'right mess'. with a very uncertain scenario. The UK is for many of us, and all State pensioners [60,000 of them], under EU law, the State responsible for our social welfare. It would seem obvious that National Governments have a duty to take an interest in its Nationals anywhere in the World, and particularly so in Europe. The UK Government has a history of shirking this duty - Should not pressure be brought on it?

It is very hard to get this concept across to fellow expatriates - Large numbers of people have signed a petition to claim continuance of the Winter Fuel Payment in France - described by the Chancellor George Osborne as a HOT country [Italy apparently isn't].

Yet few have signed a petition which is so much more fundamental to establish representation for expats in Westminster ( as the French in London have at Paris). This thread and similarly others demonstrate unequivocally that UK politics intimately affect the lives of expatriates in Europe - via treaties - double taxation conventions- health care etc... We must have representation and a voice.

If you want to be kept in touch with what is going on send your mail address to graham.richards@orange.fr

or lefourquet@gmail.com

The organisation is Europeans Throughout The World [ETTW]

and sign this petition and get relatives in the UK also to sign -http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/55085

Hi,

This is my first reply to a post and I hope it helps:

I have several rare autoimmune conditions and the stress in the UK was killing me, I was literally dying in the UK. I decided to move to France for a quieter life, fresher air and not so many people (people who were always full of colds and infections in the UK and were very kind enough to pass them on to me) nor traffic and all that goes with it.

well I got that and my health has improved a lot and I am loving where I live (3 and half years now).....but

1. Getting on the system is quite stressful as people have said but once I got my Carte Vitale I have to say that the healthcare here is a whole lot better than the UK and I get most of my meds free here. That said the one med I really need is not included and it would cost 101 euros a month just for that particular medication. I have also developed 2 new conditions since I came here (par for the course with autoimmune conditions and I would've got them in the UK anyway) and I have to say that the tests and the treatment was all done within a few days of the diagnosis - in the UK they took months.

2. INCAPACITY BENEFIT: Although I worked for 35 years and paid my taxes/nat ins in the UK they put me through the wringer to get this benefit because my conditions are rare, however I finally got the benefit and was on it from 2008 ...... I moved here in 2011 and they continued to pay it. Now they have stopped it!

They have stopped it on the basis that they have decided I should go into the "Work Placement" section? (sorry I still do not understand all the new system) and because I live in France I cannot attend the work placement so therefore they will stop my benefits. I appealed and they told me to apply in France for the benefit ......... it is in the process at the moment but it is very difficult, very stressful and it doesn't look like I will qualify here. The other thing I have found is that if you say you moved here for health reasons make sure you are specific about the reasons - if they think you came here for better healthcare (not for the air/quiet life etc...) then you will definitely not get the CV or any benefits (my social worker grilled me on that one lol)

I am near enough penniless at the moment but would rather be penniless here than in the UK. If my appeal here fails then my next port of call will be to re-appeal to the UK and probably write to an MP or some other organisations to try to get my money re-instated.

I wish you good luck in your decision x

Hi Bill.I presume you are at or past retirement age?

COPD: In the UK I, too, had repeated chest infections and was prescribed steroids and an emergency supply of antibiotics. In the UK I had several inhalers. In France, because my breathing was better, my doctor told me to ditch them all and go on to one 300 microgramme inhalation of Indacaterol of every morning. That has worked well. But now he has told me to ditch that in favour of something he says is newer and better which is 44 microgramme inhalation of Glycopyrronium (bromure de glycopyrronium) every morning.

My partner receives total payment for anything to do with his diabetes or his Parkinson's. He has been hospitalised three times on account of his diabetes and has had nothing to pay, the whole lot being covered partly by CPAM and partly (the private room) by the top-up insurance.

His top-up insurance is 60-something euros and month and mine is 70-something because I am six years old.

I'd say to anyone moving to France, do shop around for top-up insurance. Many insurance companies offer it and the premiums for the same things vary widely. It is of course impossible to predict what kind of medical treatment one will need, but one can at least start out by making sure that illnesses that are likely to occur are covered.

Clive

Helen,

I am glad that you are covered by ALD. Your problems are obviously reckoned to be "grave" not only of long duration. I need to look into whether my partner, is recognised as disabled and unable to work in the UK, would qualify for AAH in France.

Thank you for replying.

Hi

I have COPD and Type 2 Diabetes

We moved to france 2 years ago in summer 2012. While I lived in UK I had at least one bad chest infection every year and was pre-prescribed steroid tablets and antibiotics for self emergancy treatment so could initiate treatment without having to wait to see a doctor. Since moving here I have not needed any treatment other than my regular preventatitive inhalers spiriva(1 per day) and symbicort (2 per day). I have only recently joined the French Health system through CPAM and I only registered with a doctor in March so I do not have much experience with their services although what I have seen so far is encouraging.

After my initial doctors appointment I was sent for a battery of blood tests at a local laboratory which reported on all the normal thngs for diabetes but also detected a condition not previously detected in the UK which will now be monitored.

My doctor is also applying for total payment cover due to my copd and diabetes. At the momentI have to partly pay for my drugs and treatment but if you have serious and longterm illnesses in France all the treatment for them is meant to be free although you have to pay for treatment for unrelated conditions.

At the moment my wife and I have taken out additionalinsurance at 130 euros per month which will cover all drugs, doctors and lab work as well as paying for better accomodation at hospital if required but we may consider reducing or cancelling this when we find out the impact of more state cover.

I hope this is helpful.

Bill

Clive I am so incredibily shocked that you are not covered by ALD - I have mental health problems - bipolar,ptsd,anxiety and severe depression (yes I have been suicidal but hardly day to day life threatening) and my gp (under the advice of my pyschiatre) applied for ALD 4 years ago and it was accorded. I was also, with help from the psychaitre again, awarded handicapped status (at 79%) last year so that I would be entitled to AAH (allocation adulte handicapé) and no longer receive RSA and tons of pressure to go back to full time work before I am ready

It's great that you are feeling better. Hope you continue to be well.

Hi, I use omeprazole and costs 6.90 euros for 14 day supply. Works wonders for acid reflux though. Good luck with your move. Ralph

Thank you Mandy. The problem is that neither my "insuffisance respiratoire chronique" nor my intermittent "insuffisance cardiaque" caused by atrial fibrillation are considered "grave". Both have improved since moving to France. In fact my UK doctor, who was all clued up about barometric pressures in various parts of Europe, said that living in Languedoc-Roussillon would improve my breathing and the lifestyle would be good for my heart. That has proved very true. I'm never so breathless or tired as I used to be in the UK.

Sorry to here you are not covered for your COPD. My husband has been covered by the ALD system for many years. Maybe you should ask the doctor to have another look at the list, see the link below. It is covered by insufficance respiratoire chronique grave on the list. Hope this helps.

http://sante-medecine.commentcamarche.net/faq/477-liste-des-affections-de-longue-duree-ald#liste-des-30-affections-longue-duree-ald-30