Yes folk, here I am the living 2012 evidence of the value of mutuelles. Ambulances, operations, scans, x-rays, physiotherapy, several specialists and none of it cheap. I gave up counting somewhere between 30 and 40k and have lots left to go. Quite seriously, anybody who kidded themselves it will never happen should have their head tested. I had 63 years of almost nothing. Now I have had a broken shoulder treated, the possible cause of the 'seizure' being investigated by neurologists but now passing on to sleep specialists instead of epilepsy ones. In a few months I am probably going to be in the hands of a leading international shoulder specialist in Bordeaux and a team in Pau looking at sleep apnoea and epilepsy research who have a fairly high reputation beyond France. I have asked for none of this, I happen to live close enough to both for me to fall into their laps. Would I have this from the NHS? Did I resent paying the mutuelle. No and yes I did, but Freddy I am glad I do now.