Dear Mr Drakeford,
I appreciate that the subject of health coverage is a very important one, and so I wish to reassure you that there really is no prospect of having to "finance US-style Health Insurance for themselves" in the event of Brexit, for anyone living in France.
I am retired, although not of State Pensionable Age, and so I am signed up to the French State Health Service under the terms of the CMU (Couverture Maladie Universel). The contributions that I pay for full coverage for both myself and my wife are very reasonable, being just 8% of whatever amount our joint income is in excess of 9,000 Euro per annum. The contributions payable are therefore far less than any private health insurance company can provide.
As my wife is in fact American, I can assure you that the cost of joining the CMU is way below what is charged for Health Insurance in the USA for people of our age.
Furthermore, you may be interested to know that for those on low incomes, not only is membership of the CMU free, but there is also a financial grant available to assist with the cost of a 'Mutuelle' top-up health insurance. For those who are particularly hard pressed the Mutuelle is totally free.
Therefore, here in France, there is no reason for anyone to fear that they will be left without any health insurance cover in the event of Brexit. Just join the French State Health system through the local CPAM office. Fill out the forms, follow the system, and hey presto ---- C'est fait. :-)
Hi John, my reply was a rush job sans glasses, I mentioned the city as an easy option as it contributes an incredible percentage of UK taxation, cannot remember what it was exactly but it makes the rest of us look stupid. There are many more successful companies JCB (pulling out of France due to labour and social costs) BAe the only foreign defence contractor quoted based in US or something like that. Nissan Sunderland one of the most cost effective car plants worldwide ( they refused to site their factory in the midlands because they wanted to tell Nissan how to build cars) Dyson etc etc. When we first joined the EU I was a massive fan but I've followed events closely and realised that it was a stitch up between Germany & France now a bit like Batman and Robin. I've a family connection in international business refusing to hire personnel in France. I was living in Sweden when they joined the EU they were truly stitched up, their negotiator even ran and hid in a lift to avoid searching questions.
Yes the US makes diplomatic errors but usually out of misguided goodwill but they are not quite Putin, Kim Jong, Sadam or Isis yet seem to be unfairly disliked. Yes I live here, love it but it's sad to see an inventive nation destroyed by it's politics. I've not heard of the US pushing the EU to admit Turkey but I suspect that it wants Turkey's large standing army as a secure buffer against Russia as was also Iran once upon a time.
Finally, It seems official figures for UK immigration were something like 230,000 but something like 610,000 NI numbers were issued in the same time. Is someone hiding something? Take the smaller number just to be generous. Where do they live. who is their doctor, where is their school how can our services cope? And who the hell were they?!! Jim
All the videos except the second one have been deleted Hilary, seems the Youtube account has been closed. If they were anyway as paranoid as the second one (which I watched all the way through, there’s nine minutes I’ll never get back) I’d say it was because whoever produced them has been sectioned under the mental health act. I loved the Libertarian party guy, Stan Jones, from Montana best. Not one of his 2008 doomsday predictions has materialised.
The comments you found on Switzerland seem very accurate but I don’t know how a bit of the Irish language (Europe and Ireland) got imbedded 
It is interesting to note that, whatever the criticism of the euro, at launch the rate was €1.42 to the £. Generally the £ has been below that, often substantially so, even if last year it briefly got back to around @1.40. It is now €1.29. Doesn't that suggest that over the last 15 years the euro (at least as compared to the £) has not actually been the mess it is often said to be in the UK press?
You’reright Jeremy, the UK is a major EU player and it should try and keep it that way but after Brexit, I’ll bet my bottom dollar, it won’t be. I note the only thing you can think of as an area of expertise is the City, me too. I’ve no doubt that there will be an exodus my multinationals from the City if Brexit happens. Why would they stay? I have to disagree with you on how successful the EU has been, it’s great IMO, not perfect by any means but still great. Do you live here? If so why if you think it’s such a disaster? I agree Turkey is a wory. The US (that great interferer in other countries affairs) has been pushing the EU to admit Turkey. The EU has been resisting.
I thought this http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06091/SN06091.pdfan interesting read. Based on all the conflicting information and confusion I think Brexit is a very risky option.
Watch the thorns on the brambles.
Though many do not seem to realise the UK is a major EU player, not just in terms of GDP but as a world renowned finance centre and the general respect in which we are held. Britain punches well above it's weight in world affairs. Yes Chris is right if he did say that the EU should collapse and start again, it's a mess. so much so that should we Brexit there will be more worries about the Euro than about the pound, If indeed the Euro survives until June. Europe is unbelievably considering the entry of Turkey as a member, We do not need Turkey's problems or 98million cuturally different people with free access to Europe. We've enough problems already, your children will NEVER get affordable housing while so many wealthy foreigners aspire to the status of a UK home. Of course with status comes employment, safety, schooling, NHS etc. Don;t you read the papers, not enough teachers,houses,hospital beds, doctors.
Must cut more brambles. Jim.
PS. Change from within is a nonsense, if that's the best deal Cameron gets with a threat to leave, meaningful change is impossible. The EU is just a dream factory. A good basic idea but it's had it's day in its current form.
David, Your “Mouse that roared” analogy is well made. I can’t understand why anybody would compare the UK economy to either the Swiss or Norwegian ones at all, let alone try to use them as relevant examples of countries thriving outside, but associated with, the EU. Norway has a population of 5 million and the largest sovereign wealth fund in the World, $855 billion. They are swimming in money. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_wealth_fund Likewise Switzerland, at the crossroads of Europe, is a wealthy, well run country and has been for centuries with population of only 8 million. The poor old UK has 64 million mouths to feed and no speciality at all that I’ve read about, apart from in tax evasion in the City (second only to US tax evasion expertise). Frankfurt will gladly hoover that up post Brexit IMO.
I suggest that you look at this Chris Balchin http://www.asean.org or this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_Free_Trade_Association "Going it alone" is a dream that cannot be achieved these days. You need partners, customers. The UK cannot dictate terms. There are no gunboats.
The reforms agreed by Cameron specifically exclude the UK ever being included in a Federal Europe. There is no EU army. Armies have worked together for a very long time. The British forces were under Ike at the end of the war. Jayne with the best will in the world you seem to have swallowed the rhetoric that has been put out by the Brexit Boys. I see that Boris and his No 1 made a big Horlicks this morning.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35749084 "My staff leader's (Sir Eddie Lister) email just a cock up"says the man who wants to be Britain's leader out of the EU. Oh well that's alright then!? How many of the same await us?
People can be very different. In fact my family in the UK is as far as I know all voting to stay in and that, according to the current polls, is what the majority intend to do as well. The media campaign put up by the Brexit Boys and Pretty Polly, and their media mates, attracts attention as it's good for sales. Look at the markets, look at what non EU international leaders are saying. The image of the UK as a sort of Norway or Switzerland as an air of the "Mouse that Roared" about it. Look at the cost of living in those countries. It'll be bitter at £10/pint pretty soon, frontier checks and queues, maybe even currency controls and we did love those. Don't forget the dollar premium. Bank of England permission to open a foreign bank account and annual statements. Holiday health cover every time you risk it and go abroad even to watch a rugby match. Oh yes, It'll be back to the Good Old Days again alright, none of that foreign muck, holidays at Rhyl. I can't wait!
Sorry you find it offensive Davis it wasn't meant to be i think you have taken it to personally just pointing out the hypocrites who milk both systems as much as they can, by all means vote as you wish and how you see it, all the people i know and able to vote there are only 3 who say they will as for returning to the UK 1 week in 5 over years and that was enough for me.
Well all the people I know will be voting OUT. I have to think of my family's future and cannot stay in just because they might make it more difficult living here.
TTIP is one reason. And the trust that they are putting in the undemocratic Turkey is another. I would not trust them at all. So far they have done nothing to ease the crisis.
I also do not want to live in a Federal States of Europe. We have no say as a member of the EU because we are out numbered by the other 28 nations every time. I do not want an EU army, I want a British army under British control.
I could list several hundred other reasons and I think British people really need to think hard as to why they think they should vote in. Cameron has proved how he cannot be trusted with his project fear and lies.
Rather offensive in my opinion, John...
In our case we have lived and worked for ourselves here for 12 years, and by sheer dint of hard work have managed to also help our kids financially in UK, who are now really struggling to make the same successful financial decisions we could in our time in UK...We saw the writing on the wall for the current crisis about 6 years ago, and started immediate plans to reverse our decision to retire and remain here. By sheer exhausting slog we have since reno'd and downsized twice, to enable us to purchase a foothold back in UK ( no help from anyone and not creaming it in as we allow our offspring to reside there rent free) and now, at the end of this month, leave our lovely home and gardens to live in an inferior 'holiday home' ,for the future, to further realise more assets to add to our foothold, for when we decide the time is right to return, as we will be retired in 2 years max. We love France and hope we can continue to get much use from the new house, for as long as possible, before returning full-time to UK.
If you think all that hasn't come without sacrifice, financial risks, stress and hard physical pain and slog, dream on. We do all the work ourselves and, as we're now in our 60's, energy doesn't come and fill the tank overnight as it once did;) We haven't even been back to UK for over 3 years, to milk any system or use health facilities....If you continue to think the EU is a brilliant idea that is working a dream then use your vote to stay in...If on the other hand you have loved ones in UK who you want a real future for, vote 'leave'.... simples ;)
I am so proud of those who for the good of the UK will sacrifice themselves and vote out as they believe that is best for the UK, people like the guy who sublets his council house lives and works in France on the black uses his EHIC card for medical treatment after all he is only on holiday and is voting out because all the immigrants legal and illegal are taking British jobs, oh yes he really does exist and the people who still get their WFA because they have given their relatives address in the UK so dont officially live in France.Those who have lived and worked in Europe for the last 10 years or more would it have been so easy if the UK wasn't in the EU .Those who have started their own company and have done well would you have been able to do it without the EU. Yet you will vote out and deny others the same opportunity, my son and wife my sister and her husband my cousins and their family's no longer work in the UK made so much easier by the EU .We know its not perfect but at least it gives those who are willing to get up off their arse a chance to improve their lives as they see it .Dont tell me you are doing it for the good of the UK that's rubbish
But the Swiss don't have much of a sense of humout , alas!
Switzerland in the EU.......Why didn't they join ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20579029
Doesn't sound a bad arrangement....although I know that the cost of living is one of the highest...
Thanks for the interesting link, David.....
What's the brief history behind Switzerlands decision not to join the EU ? ....I thought I'd Google it....here's a couple of the results.....
Best Answer: Switzerland is actually a member of the EU or EEA in all but name. EU law has affect there and Switzerland pays into the EU budget. This is because Switzerland negotiated the particulars of different parts of membership, e.g. Free movement of people, etc. and then the people of Switzerland voted on it.
Also, it is not that Switzerland is isolationist or xenophobic, though the recent elections are worrying, it is more that Switzerland prides itself on centuries neutrality that have protected it and its people from harm. Only recently they joined the UN even though one of the UN headquarters is in its country.
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Switzerland is basically an independent country. During the wars they remained neutral, and they want to continue to remain neutral. Therefore they can not join groups like the EU, they must remain completely free and not associated with anyone. Of course this didn't play out as well as it should have during the war as they found a lot of missing Jewish loot hidden in Switzerland, but they were quick to turn it over.
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He who holds the Gold,Owns the Game,
Central control, after the unification of Europe, will come the unification of the western states, controlled by a panel of few and very rich and wealthy iconic like dictators. Policing and laws will be centralized, areas of city slum will form and be contained within walls. Everyone will be chipped. The wealthy will have freedom of movement, and live in the countryside.Video-Real Face of the European Union - if 10 percent is true we are screwed. Hope its BS and only a bad dream,stand up and slow it down.
A 1997 documentary about the One World Government Agenda and the Climate Change
David, one has to understand that 99.999999 percent of Europeans don't give a sod if the UK goes or stays. I think "sod off or stop whinging" would be the general view.
