Covid vaccine for Early Retirees without Carte Vitale

Now there I agree with you! It didn’t seem fair that you could create a business structure, funnel a small amount of your own money through it and access healthcare. But that was a loophole that has now been closed. If you set up a business it has to have a certain turnover now.

I ws referring to the more common/normal way people outside formal employment access French healthcare which is by paying cotisations of 8% of their income above about 10,000€. Which is what we did.

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Like Caryn, I currently have a private Cigna health cover. My reason is due to transferring pensions / lump sums and the financial benefit of not yet being in the French health system.
Once sorted (its only been a year for one of the pensions - still not complete!), I will join via PUMA and make my fairly small (due to an unexciting income) contributions, I will be very grateful to France for being able to join.

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So all’s fair, we live and let live! Back to Susanne 's query, how to get our paws on a vaccine. Maybe from our doctor in due course?

I assume from your doctor when appropriate. I have had an email from Cigna mentioning they will pay where its not free.

@Caryn_England

I can understand your reservations about receiving something via a possible “loophole”…
things are so different in France, it can be confusing… (Jane says the loophole is now closed and that is a good thing)

You’ve made your own decision about CV and that’s your right, of course.
Although CV is what is always asked for at any medical emergency… in my experience.

but, horses for course…

Years ago, when we made our first Declaration, income for the previous year was Zero…
A while later we received a cheque from the Fr Gov… who obviously thought we needed the money…

Anyway, I tore the cheque up, since I felt we didn’t deserve it, as we hadn’t yet paid anything into the French Income Tax system…

If GovFr want to send me a cheque… now… I would say thank you … and bank it swiftly. :hugs:

My gut feeling is that once this initial drama is over it will be a bit like masks and PPE and everywhere will be awash with vaccine. France has ordered enough for over 3 doses per adult and if it is right that only 60% of the adult population are prepared to take it then they will be begging people to lift their arm for a jab!

I, and more particularly my OH, are hoping that by April/May it will be much easier to get one,

At France’s current rate of vaccination, I’ll be very surprised if healthy mid-50s like myself get offered one before the summer.

Never say never…

Being in the healthcare system of the country that you are living in is not ‘sponging’ it is part of integrating yourself into life here.

So you are totally entitled to be on the French healthcare system surely? Yes I think through your doctor will be the best way as they can take payment.

I honestly don’t know. I guess they would just have to tell them that and pay and have it reimbursed? I really don’t know, there will perhaps be some places that just would not be able to process it.

Hopefully we will be covered in a medical emergency without a CV, Stella. My husband went to A&E at Orthez complaining of breathlessness (he had a heart rate of 30 beats/min). They accepted his Cigna Membership card, treated him and transferred him immediately by ambulance to Pau Cardiac Unit. I can’t imagine he would have been treated so well in the UK.

I’m so glad you have already found your Cigna card does work. No-one needs added hassle at such moments… :hugs:

Sounds like you are not far from us , I was in Orthez yesterday !

and another thought, of course once you hit retirement age you will apply for your S1 and then be in the system with no issues.

Yes we are in Beyries, just north of Orthez, but before Covid we did used to go to the Orange Ball in Dax on our way to walk the dogs at Arjuzanx, to see the grues. Unfortunately after the first lockdown the Formule Gourmande (husband’s favourite) had been taken off the menu ):

Hello Jane - thank you for providing this link. However I couldn’t find the simple form you refer to. Are you kindly able to provide a link to this too? Thank you so much for your help as I am struggling to get into the system without an S1 too.

This is the form you need

https://www.ameli.fr/sites/default/files/formulaires/168/s1106_-demande_puma-_assurance_maladie.pdf

Since it is past 31/12/20 you may well be asked to show proof that you have a Carte du séjour (or the receipt showing you have applied), private health insurance and a letter from the UK saying yiu are no longer covered by the NHS.

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L’absence de couverture médicale ne constitue en aucun cas un frein à la vaccination. D’une part, étant donné qu’il s’agit d’un enjeu de santé publique, les personnes non affiliées ainsi que les populations très précaires pourront se faire vacciner gratuitement. Le décret n° 2020-1833 du 31 décembre 2020 publié au JORF du 1er janvier 2021 garantit l’absence de reste à charge sur les frais de vaccination y compris pour les personnes qui ne bénéficient d’aucune couverture sociale. D’autre part, à compter du 28 janvier 2020, un étranger ou un sans-abris pourra se faire vacciner en centre de vaccination même s’il ne dispose pas d’une carte vitale. En effet, à compter de cette date, le système d’information Vaccin Covid sera à même d’assurer la traçabilité de la vaccination des étrangers dépourvus de carte vitale.

  • Direction générale de la Santé

You can also show the relevant decree n° 2020-1833: Décret n° 2020-1833 du 31 décembre 2020 modifiant le décret n° 2020-73 du 31 janvier 2020 portant adoption de conditions adaptées pour le bénéfice des prestations en espèces pour les personnes exposées au coronavirus - Légifrance

You can also direct the staff to the Ministry of Health’s website where there is a section of frequently asked questions. If you scroll down to the question, ‘Dois-je venir avec des documents particuliers ?’ and open it you will see the following response:

“Une pièce d’identité et votre carte vitale pour pouvoir donner votre numéro de sécurité sociale.

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Thank you so much for your help!

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