IFP Forums

[jackerie]

Further to your newsflash dated November 26 2007, I received a letter today from a Madame Falceto at the CPAM in Auch dated November 22 2007 rescinding my health coverage as of March 31 2008. This despite the fact that I have been a permanent resident in France since June 2002 and have been in the French state insurance system for two years. If anyone has further infromation or the address of a French government website in which the developments you refer to in your newsflash are announced/confirmed it would be much appreciated.

[BobD]

For those in my circumstances: inactive, early retirement, resident for four years & currently in the CPM system but until today (see below) given until Mar 08 to find private cover.

I unfortunately have a chronic but not by any means life threatening chest complaint. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to my GP about being booted off the system. She immediately recommended that I move to 100% dependency on the CPM and fired off a file to them to that effect.

This morning I received an updated Attestation carrying myself and my wife through to 2024, ie prior to any changes as discussed earlier in the forum.

I would suggest anyone with similar problems discuss it with their GP. You never know, it may help someone out there to be aware of this.

[Ed.]

In response to the last three postings on this topic.

RichardT

You state you are on an E106 which expires in Jan 08. Our information is that you will not be allowed to join the CMU until you have completed 5 years residence. Those under an E form are actually covered from their home country. They are not in the CMU.


Jackerie,

The CPAMs are acting on the last instructions they received. They are only now being issued with the new circular, which advises that those with 5 years residence can continue to remain in the system. We will post news of the circular when we get it, hopefully this week.

BobD

Great news Bob. Some CPAMs are just better than others, some make mistakes, and some are prepared to take a flyer on the rules, when others are not. It is as simple as that.

What your case shows precisely is that there will be appeal procedures (still not sure what form) for those with a serious illness. However, the right of appeal does not necessarily mean an appeal will be successful.

It may well be that the circular will say that those already in France with a major illness and classified 'ALD' - affection de longue durée), should be allowed to enter the CMU. Your case suggests precisely that.

Generally

For anyone being caught by the new rules, and not suffering from a serious illness, I would recommend you to check out the idea of running even the most insignificant small 'business'. If you are earning peanuts, you will pay (pretty much) peanuts, and there are ways of reducing your social charges. We shall say more in our next newsletter, but in the meantime, check out our pages on Starting a Business in France.

http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/working-in-france/starting-a-business/

[jackerie]

Thanks for the update. I have spoken with a gentleman at the department des etrangers at the prefecture in Auch and he confirms that the CPAM are in error in rescinding coverage for those persons who have been resident in France for five years or more.

[sara66750]

Hello can any one confirm that this is not just another rumour and is FACT? I cannot find any information any where - Jim Murphy's blog on the government website has not responded to anyone, the embassy does not respond, surely this is a violation of human rights under EU legislation - the denial of health care? What is our government doing? Sara

[alanw]

In response to the last three postings on this topic.

RichardT

You state you are on an E106 which expires in Jan 08. Our information is that you will not be allowed to join the CMU until you have completed 5 years residence. Those under an E form are actually covered from their home country. They are not in the CMU..

http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/working-in-france/starting-a-business/

Ed, thank you, that is quite clear. But surely it is still a retrospective law in relation to us E106 holders, whom the UK don't seem to care about despite all the NI contributions we've made over the years, and cannot possibly be fair, and worst case scenario - illegal! I still haven't heard a single suggestion for us retired E106ers except "find a job" And I still await any meaningful update from Jim Murphy's awayday to Paris.

[Ed.]

Hi Sara and RichardT

Jim Murphy seems to have been the only UK Government Minister who has taken this seriously but I am by no means convinced that his belated representations have had much impact on all of this. To both the French and the UK Governments this is really a marginal issue.

It is a moot point as to whether, in a strict legal sense, this law is 'retrospective'. Whilst it may apply to those currently in France under a E106, it only affects your status going forward, not the rights you have enjoyed in the past, and that you will continue to enjoy up to the expiry date of your E106. I know that does not make the pill a sweeter one to swallow, but if the law is to be challenged in the courts, (which we sincerely hope will occur) then we may need stronger grounds on which to contest it.

[Reckless Rat]

Can someone please give us an 'official' update on this subject - it's now DEC 7th and still nothing heard from my local CPAM following my letter to them that they have no right to withdraw my membership of the CMU (been here for over 5 years)

[Ed.]

It has been an extraordinary day today, when something 'official' was finally published by the British Government Department of Health.

However, when I queried the press release with an official I was told that things were still in a state of flux, and that the press release had been withdrawn. It seems the information published in the press release was 'old information'.

Sure enough, it was only on their site for an hour before it was gone - although not before we kept a screenshot!

A similar incident occured last year, when the UK Embasssy published a press release on information provided to them by French officials, only to be directly contradicted by a French Government official statement within a few days. So this time, was the release out of date, or were they just being very cautious about not going out ahead of the official statement?

The news contained in the British Government release was that, as we have previously stated, those in the CMU as at 23rd Nov would be allowed to remain in the system, and that there would be a right of appeal for those with a serious medical condition, or who suffer other 'accident of life', to obtain access to free health cover. However, to the best of our knowledge this right would be subject to a means test, with a low income threshold.

We are aware that a raging row has been going on behind the scenes between the Ministry of Health and the Caisse Nationale, but it remains to be seen as to whether the complaints by the Caisse Nationale change anything very much.

We are assured by the French Ministry of Health that an official statement will be made with a few days.

We are as fed up with the rumours as everyone else, so we have concluded that we shall not be publishing anything further on our own site, until we actually see that official French Government statement.

[Reckless Rat]

It's now the 14th December and there still isn't an "official" line on this problem from the CNAM. Being one of the affected ones (despite having been here for more than 5 years I've been told I'm getting chucked out of the CMU come 31/3/08) it would be nice if someone, somewhere could tell us what's happening. Not knowing is worse.