Certainly if medical cover became impossible after a Brexit I think many people, me included, would find life here almost impossible. I could not afford sufficient private medical cover anywhere on my income and with my history. My wife is currently non EU and with our limited resources we would not as a family comply with current UK immigration requirements. She is currently applying for French nationality. Our daughter is British but only six. We could I suppose leave France but the action of so doing would use up most of our resources. If we were to move to the Philippines, my wife's homeland, I would probably not be able to find the right medical cover or provision and the result would be quite decisive. Assuming there is a Brexit (and that's only a possibility) I would asssume that there would be transitional arrangements which may enable me to see out my days. Oh and yes if we left France then we would lose the potential benefits of the policies I have taken out here to cover the costs of my demise and make some financial provision for my family. If by some means we were able to get to the UK as part of Brexit it's quite likely that we would be a larger burden to the UK state than we are here. That would leave the little matter of the hundreds of thousands of EU citizens in the UK and Brits in Europe. That could involve a larger migration than even the worst forecasts of the current one, something the BRexiters have just not made any policy or provision for. The property markets in France and Spain would take a hammering and quite possibly in the south east of the UK too. Game on. But for me Brexit for the UK is not in the UK's interest, let alone mine.
Brian English I think it depends on who you talk to in the UK, especially with regard to the age group. I am a fossil and have noticed that many of my friends and contemporaries in the UK are pretty anti. Among very close friends and family plenty of pros. Among the younger I think that the younger are more pro but that may be a socio economic thing. Could well be a geographic thing too. In London the man on the Clapham Omnibus is probably quite pro (it’s a very smart area these days). Up north (where my knowledge is very patchy and where I haven’t lived for forty years or more) I think it’s much more uncertain. I have been struck by many young being very pro immigration, especially those on the lefter side of party. I think that the left may see immigration as an opportunity for them- in the long term. Whatever happens I don’t think the real consequences of a Brexit have been thought through and that will mean chaos especially for those of us who made the move on the basis that the the EU would flourish. In many terms it has flourished and the pluses are far more meaningful than the minuses.
like Brian I took the risk and had no health cover for around five years, I paid out nothing an my wife around €80. In the end I registered as a AE two years ago and we now have carte vitals through them. We have only just got a top up mutual in the last two months. Foolhardy perhaps it depends on your view. A friend of mine applied for a carte vital through Cpam, they are told as we were years ago that we earned top much, with the help from Palma at feet in France the eventually got them.
Brian, I think your comment could apply to the UK at the moment too!! :-) Seems this EU thingy ain't worth the paper it was printed on all those years ago!
Brian I believe it is under French law that anyone residing permanently in france HAS to provide evidence of some form of health cover. Either the state system, private or the CMU thingy. That is what I was told 18 months ago and why I had to ensure that I sorted myself out. I cannot find the actual statute so am not sure if just having deep pockets is sufficient.
Just mentioning how long it is valid outside the country of issue.
Brian: I don’t understand your comment!
My EHIC is for use outside of France, my friend, who resides in UK, used her card here.
Elaine, the EHIC is for visits up to a maximum of six months though.
I am resident in France and as a retiree have a Carte Vitale. I also have an EHIC but its not for France only for other EU countries (including the UK until the NHS decides how its going to to deal with the new EU ruling).
A friend, staying with me at the moment, fainted and hurt her face. I had to call an ambulance which took her to the local urgences. She has used her EHIC and there are no further charges for her week stay in the local hospital.
Gerard, I think you are wrong. I came here with E111 from the UK for myself and the kids. I did not register for AE for about the first 6 months until I decided what I was going to do, during that time my mind was made up for me because I was informed that as I was no longer a UK resident (that I now resided in France for more than 6 months of the year) I was no longer covered under the E111 that was only intended for visitors to other EU countries. If you use it and try to claim back from the UK, they have every right to deny you the refund/payment of expenses apaprently. So you are left with 3 options:
1. get a job/become self employed and pay into the French system and get a Carte Vital + Mutuelle
2. get private insurance cover
3. See the Assistante Sociale or relevant dept explain your circumstances and inability to afford medical cover and see if they consider you for the absolute minimum state cover (I forget what it is called).
If you have european passports, that must mean you have european nationality. If you are part of the EU then you have reciprocal healthcare arrangements with your country of origin. You need to get an E111 card if you can. This is the British version https://www.e111.org.uk/index.html
Brian and others,
It was our understanding that if you have a life-threatening illness, or accident, you are covered for all your medical needs. Does that mean you only pay for hospital food and board in those instances? Also I thought I'd read somewhere that if you do develop a life-threatening illness when here you become automatically covered into the system if UK ex-pat?...
Andy,
When I clicked on your link I got no-where fast...
This webpage is not available
I am Australian and I have never worked in France and I have an Australian passport. The first year I was here I was on a 12mth visa. I took out travel insurance for that first year. After two mths here I had a ruptured appendix. All was paid for by my travel insurance. i am now married to an English man, he is on an invalid pension in France. I now have a carte vitale then through reading and hearing I needed the top up insurance I took out private insurance with credit mutual I went middle of the rd and paid 500euro a year. But it doesn’t always pay for everything the reason they give is that my carte vitale is attached to my husbands. And I even question as to why I am even paying it. I have had a day surgery in hospital and in the end it cost me 12 euros. But if you have European passports then I am of the understanding that you are entitled to the same as other Eu citizens. But travel insurance for the first 12 mths might be an easier way to go until you find out more once you are living here.
Have a word with someone called Palma, http://www.feetinfrance.
She will charge, we had a 20 min interview for €20 the advise she gave us on healthcare was invaluable.
I don't believe that there is any mandatory cover required but as Brian says you would be very unwise not to have any insurance. You can find Mutuelles anywhere and you can decide how much cover you want. Personally I have most things covered but not GP visits (23 euros each) or all drug costs. I do have dentistry etc cover. I believe that a hotel in patient room is 2000 euros a day or thereabouts! A British company called BUPA has an international scheme. Personally I have had a number of problems here including several operations and in patient treatments. Some people have gone back to the UK because they could not get cover. In our village here in Brittany we haev many expats and most but not all are retired. They are always in and out of hospital. One Brit fell of his roof and broke his back. More than one became alchoholics requiring constant treatment followed by death. Incidentally Brian for my first two years living in France I was still working for a British company and having PAYE/NIC deductions. HMRC and the French authorities decided that they would leave it like that until I retired but I got my Carte Vitale immediately. I had to change the Carte Vitale when I actually retired. I never paid into the French system then although I am now paying some CSG on UK investment income I did not have earlier.
OK, the difference is whether or not you have an 'economic activities'. Although you say you will not be working in France, if you are working elsewhere but living here you are liable for stoppages depending on your status. That is another kettle of fish.
As for the private insurance. Simply get quotes from a number of companies, get the maximum cover for best but not necessarily the lowest price and make very sure you include dentistry, ophthalmy and other normally incredibly expensive services.
Hi Brian we have been advised that we are not eligible for the state health system. I read on all different website pages that it is mandatory to have health insurance in France and most sites say that if you are not eligible for the state health you have to get private health. I just wanted to know what is the minimum requirements of the private health cover you need to comply with the mandatory private health requirement.
I have read through the useful links before but will check them out again.
Cheers
It is mandatory to pay into the state system but not into complementary private insurance. However, anybody who is foolhardy enough not to pay that may find themselves with a bill that will change their mind very quickly, but too late. The state system depends on your status and whilst you may not be working here, if you are working elsewhere you are still liable here. Go to USEFUL LINKS at the top of the page on the left, click then go to Health and simply follow what you find there that describes your situation. Be very cautious about what might be contradictory comments in response to your question. People have opinions, some of them right but others wrong, that sometimes confuse rather than clarify. However the links to 'official' information will on the whole answer all you need to know, it may be a bit overwhelming but it is about as complete as possible and thus far appears to have helped people a lot.