Healthcare changes: CPAMs informed

Health authorities (CPAMs) across France will soon be fully briefed on all aspects of the recent healthcare changes affecting expats, according to CNAM, the national body responsible for the CPAMs.

However neither CNAM nor the government’s Social security Directorate, which organised the changes, have yet confirmed claims by the British Embassy that there has been a further adjustment allowing all people holding E106s last November to join the state healthcare system (via CMU) on expiry. A CNAM spokeswoman said that the branches should all be able to offer clear advice and assistance with matters relating to the changes in about a week’s time and definitely before the end of February.

This follows nearly three months of confusion at CPAMs since the release of a circular by the government. CNAM blames the confusion on the government’s unexpected u-turn on a previous decision to exclude all early-retiree expats from state healthcare. The spokeswoman said there were many internal procedural matters to clarify and explain to the local offices.

Asked about what people should do if they have returned their cartes vitales – as some expats were originally told to do - or they no longer work – as in the case of many people whose E106 forms expired in January – she said: “It is normal that people were asked to send back cards – it was a matter of applying the EU directive which required inactive expats to have private health insurance. They should go back to their CPAMs – advice will be available on what to do.”