[firefly2327]

Can someone please condense the seemingly very complicated system of healthcare in France for me and answer the following;

I'm moving to France in a few weeks, on my own. I wish to have cover for day to day and emergency healthcare costs. I will be working full-time. I gather that I will have some basic entitlement to some healthcare, but may need to sign up to a mutuelle in order to have 'complete' cover.

So, am I right regarding the above and if so how and where to go about getting the required level of cover.

Thanks
ever confused expat to be!

 

[rynd2it]

Can someone please condense the seemingly very complicated system of healthcare in France for me and answer the following;

I'm moving to France in a few weeks, on my own. I wish to have cover for day to day and emergency healthcare costs. I will be working full-time. I gather that I will have some basic entitlement to some healthcare, but may need to sign up to a mutuelle in order to have 'complete' cover.

So, am I right regarding the above and if so how and where to go about getting the required level of cover.

Thanks
ever confused expat to be!

The system is actually fairly simple once you are in it. I can't answer your specific questions but you can contact Catherine Lewis at ARCC in Bordeaux and I am sure she will explain the system as it applies to you and they also offer very good mutuelle coverage.

There is a sticky thread on here as well which has a lot of information.

Cheers

 

[firefly2327]

I guess one of my main concerns is that things may take time to kick in, I've read that some cover isn't available until you've lived and worked in France for 3 months or more so if I need medical care before then I may be in trouble.

 

[rynd2it]

I guess one of my main concerns is that things may take time to kick in, I've read that some cover isn't available until you've lived and worked in France for 3 months or more so if I need medical care before then I may be in trouble.

Call Catherine - she can explain how you can get coverage.

Cheers

 

[Bevdeforges]

If you're coming from Ireland and you're covered by some form of national health care system there, get yourself the local equivalent of an S-1 form (what the UK calls it) from the national health care system before you go. Or ask about getting an EHIC, which is travel insurance, but will cover you for emergencies.

You'll need the S-1 (basically, certification of your national coverage entitlement in your home system) to initiate the dialogue with CPAM/Améli to get your carte vitale. If you're working in France and having cotisations taken out, you'll be paying into the system and it's likely your employer will enroll you in their mutuelle.

The French system is a reimbursement system - which throws people when they first arrive. You always (well almost always) pay for health care services - to the doctors, to the labs, to the radiologist - and then are reimbursed through the system. Although it may take a few months to get all the paperwork set up, you usually can simply collect the claim forms you get when you pay for your medical services ("feuilles de soin") and once you have your Carte Vitale, send them all in to be reimbursed.

In an emergency, they treat you first and sort out the payment and paperwork later on.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[firefly2327]

If you're coming from Ireland and you're covered by some form of national health care system there, get yourself the local equivalent of an S-1 form (what the UK calls it) from the national health care system before you go. Or ask about getting an EHIC, which is travel insurance, but will cover you for emergencies.

You'll need the S-1 (basically, certification of your national coverage entitlement in your home system) to initiate the dialogue with CPAM/Améli to get your carte vitale. If you're working in France and having cotisations taken out, you'll be paying into the system and it's likely your employer will enroll you in their mutuelle.

The French system is a reimbursement system - which throws people when they first arrive. You always (well almost always) pay for health care services - to the doctors, to the labs, to the radiologist - and then are reimbursed through the system. Although it may take a few months to get all the paperwork set up, you usually can simply collect the claim forms you get when you pay for your medical services ("feuilles de soin") and once you have your Carte Vitale, send them all in to be reimbursed.

In an emergency, they treat you first and sort out the payment and paperwork later on.
Cheers,
Bev

Cheers Bev, most helpful

 

[Tinabee]

If you are working full time then it is possible that your employer will have a mutuelle which will make things a lot easier - why not ask the HR department. With a lot of mutuelles, most things are covered from day one, apart from things like optical and dental, which often have the 3 month delay.