Health rights on closing a firm

WHAT happens to my French healthcare if I close my business?

WHEN you close a self-employment business, your healthcare rights are maintained for one year (12 months).

After that, it depends on other factors – if you do not enter employment or start another business and are not drawing a state pension, then you would need to apply to your Cpam to join the paying CMU system which is for people who have no other healthcare rights.

For expats from other EU countries, this should be guaranteed if you can prove five years’ residence in France, by applying to your prefecture for a “permanent” resident’s card (carte de séjour UE – séjour permanent).

Otherwise applications are considered case by case, with taking out private insurance being the alternative.

It appears that it has become easier to be approved recently since France came under EU pressure to allow healthcare rights on the basis of permanent residence alone.

Photo: Yuri Arcurs www.fotolia.com