We are hoping to move to France in the next couple of years and obviously I am concerned about the health care available. I have read that I will need to have an insurance policy to cover medical costs and this could be thousands of pounds a year.
Can anyone help.
Cheers
Ogilvie
Hi Ogilvie, sounds like an exciting adventure but with all the uncertainties surrounding Brexit, I guess will need to do a lot or research. It might be worth exploring the net to see if there are any “ex-pat” type webpages like the type you can find for Portugal, as they will be very helpful. I’m no expert on the medical cover arrangements there, but I understand state funded cover will have to be augmented with privately funded medical insurance cover.
The good news is that the Bordeaux Group at the Cardiology Hospital of Haute Leveque are world leaders in treating AF which might be useful. Hopefully others here may have some specific details that will help you.
Hello, I’ll try to keep this short!
We live in France and are members of the French healthcare system. At the moment it is possible if you are British citizen for the UK government to pay for you to receive your healthcare as part of the French system once you reach retirement age. If you are not of retirement age then you are eligible to join by paying what is, in effect, an amount roughly equivalent to UK NI payments.
These arrangements may or may not continue after brexit, who knows, but what I would say is that there have been reciprocal healthcare arrangements between the two countries since well before UK was a member of the Common Market.
Once there some treatment is free, for long term conditions, for example but nowhere near exhaustive heart problems, diabetes and pregnancy, as well as any stay in hospital and for most others the State pays 70%.
Most people pay into an insurance to pay for the 30% and you can contribute to this at a variety of levels. A visit to a GP, if you are paying costs 25€ so the 30% of that isn’t prohibitive, especially when you remember that you can usually get an appointment the same day. Dental treatment is almost unbelievably cheap, about 30€ (you pay 30%) for a check up, clean and scale where we live.
Some treatments that are known as ‘lifestyle’ treatments, medication (ie not deemed medically necessary) are at a charge to the patient of 70%.
We have been in France for over 20 years, pre and post retirement and find it all splendid, treatment is pretty well instant and screening and health checks free and routine. Our insurance coasts us about £1,000 a year.
Hope that helps
Penny
Given what’s going on here in the UK, there could be a mass exodus anytime soon! Thank you Penny, I’m sure Ogilvie will appreciate your post.....
sorry about directing reply to the wrong person, not had my second coffee yet!
Hi Penny,
Thank you so much for your comprehensive reply - really helps with our planning.
Vive La France!!
Interesting - thanks for that.
see my reply to Flapjack, plus let me know if you want to ask anything, happy to help if I can pjr
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