The Connexion has received many calls and emails from readers worried about the changes which are being brought in relating to state healthcare in France. This follows our article announcing those changes in the September edition of The Connexion which sparked follow-up articles in several national British newspapers.
The Connexion yesterday (September 7) spoke with the French Ministry of Health. The Ministry confirmed that people from the EU who are resident in France and meet the following criteria:
1. They are below state retirement age (English state retirement age, not French – and, therefore, not in receipt of an E121);
2. They are not in receipt of an E106 (allowable for two years only on moving to France);
3. They are not working
are NOT eligible for subscription to the French state healthcare system, the Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU).
The Ministry advised that this applies irrespective of an individual's financial situation.
Previously such residents – many of whom are Britons who moved to France on early retirement - could pay to subscribe to CMU. The amount paid for this was dependent on income with free entry below a certain threshold. Under the changes, this will no longer be possible.
The Ministry also confirmed that people who meet these criteria and are currently affiliated to CMU will have their affiliation stopped. It would not release details of how and when these changes would take place or what would happen to those already in the CMU and have chronic existing conditions, such as cancer, which may not be accepted by private health insurers.
The Ministry is expected to clarify these points with The Connexion next week and we will notify readers through our website. The Connexion has passed this information to representatives of the British Embassy in Paris who are meeting French health ministry officials on Monday September 10 in an attempt to further clarify the situation.
The Connexion has seen a copy of a letter sent by the French healthcare authority, CPAM, to a British resident in France who was previously in receipt of CMU. The letter, dated August 22 2007, reads:
Monsieur,
Pour me permettre de donner suite à votre dossier, je vous remercie de bien vouloir me retourner la présente lettre, après avoir fournis les pièces ou renseignements ci-dessous :
Conformément au nouveau décret du 21/03/2007 tout résident communautaire non actif se trouvant sur notre territoire et ne pouvant bénéficier ou continuer de bénéficier des droits européens sur présentation de formulaire tels que :
E106 ou E121 ne peut bénéficier de la Sécurité Sociale mais doit contacter une Assurance Privée. En conséquence vous voudrez bien nous retourner vos CARTES VITALES.
Votre conseillère en Assurance Maladie,
(Dear Sir
To allow me to follow up your file, could you please return this letter to me, along with the requested documents or information below:
As per the new 21/03/2007 decree, all non-working EU residents on our territory who cannot benefit or cannot carry on benefiting to European rights on presentation of documents such as the E106 or E121 cannot benefit from Social Security but must instead contact a private Health insurance provider. Consequently, you must return your CARTES VITALES to us.
Your “Assurance Maladie” adviser)
(letter translated in brackets)
There is a national English-language helpline for CPAM, the French state healthcare administrator, which is advising people on the situation. The number is 08 20 90 42 12.
The helpline told The Connexion yesterday that they had been inundated with enquiries so it may take time to reach an operator. On September 7 the information cited above by the French Ministry of Health was also being given out by operators of this helpline.
Also on September 7 the French national newspaper, Le Monde, quoted sources within the French health ministry admitting that the affair is a “shambles” and that, in fact, such cases should never have been allowed to join the CMU in the first place because of a European directive dating from 2004. This directive states that Europeans moving to another country should have sufficient resources to look after themselves and not fall back on state social security – including the state healthcare system.
The result is that those affected by this ruling may need to purchase private health insurance.
The Connexion spoke to the EU about the issue. EU social security spokeswoman, Katharina von Schnurbein, said that an EU regulation from 1971 provided that foreign people staying in another EU country for work, or people of state retirement age, should benefit from social security arrangements, but that no provision was made for early retirees. "We don't have the competence to regulate on this," she said. "It relates to 'movements of persons' and not 'pensioners' or 'workers.' We realise that this may cause difficulties for individuals but it is a matter for the French state."
The Connexion also contacted the Department of Health in the UK. A spokesperson said:
"The change in French regulations will only affect those people who are under pension age. The number of 'early retirees' who are insured under the couverture maladie universelle is a matter for France. However in the past year there were just over 6,000 E106s issued by the UK to early retirees, entitling them to access healthcare in an EEA country which is paid for by the UK (an E106 may be granted if the individual still pays tax and national insurance in the UK or under certain circumstances for a limited period if the person moves abroad before they are in receipt of their pension).
Under EU regulations once a person is in receipt of a UK State pension they will be entitled to apply to the UK for a form E121 which will give them access to healthcare on the same basis as a member of the country which they are living."
If readers have received similar letters to the one above or have other information on this matter you can email us at contact@connexionfrance.com or call us on 04 93 08 31 03. The more information we have the greater the clarification we can seek on behalf of the British community in France.
Sarah Smith
Editor
