Living in France
Linda hi,
Been away and only got back this evening. Will be delighted to help with
whatever info you want - just ask specific questions...
You need to become a Resident to clock into the French System. Basically you
go to the Prefecture with your parents passports (and your own) and say you
wish to become a resident of France and fill out a few forms with your
French address (which should be your primary residence but nobody checks)
and a few days later you get a French ID residents card. This clocks you
into the Social Security system - they want an 'on your honour' statement of
your earnings - pensions etc. If you are paying your tax in the UK then of
course you do not pay it in France EXCEPT you have to pay the social
security payments for ever (not stopping at retirement age) These are on a
sliding scale but as far as I can see the top of the scale is around £10,000
a year. The payments you make (can be monthly) for a couple are about
£1,000 - £1100 a year.
For this you get treatment and help far in excess of that provided by the
NHS in UK. The French will give you a vital card for each person. This is
simply a way of simplifying the accounts system. If you make your SS
payments by standing order from a French bank account then they will credit
your account monthly with your benefits.... Visiting a GP is 20 Euro. A
specialist - neurologist - 35 I think and the brain scan X-rays are about
£120. You have to pay these fees up front but then the system reimburses
you. Normally you are reimbursed 65-75% depending on item. As my wife has AD
she is considered to have a 'sickness of long duration' and
everything -brain scans, x-rays, blood tests, neurologist, hospital, drugs -
the lot is reimbursed 100%. The treatments cost nothing at all. You can have
specialist 'brain exercising people give 'help' once or twice a week FOC.
Normally you can visit your GP with a few hours notice and the neurologist a
couple of weeks - brain scans 10 days or so.....
So having become a resident and making your parents residents you get your
ID card and social security umber and card. Find a GP that speaks some
English unless your French is good - the GP will then send your parent to a
neurologist for a final diagnosis - when that is done you will go back to
your GP who will inform the SS that it is "un malady de long duree" and from
then on all is free except you have to pay the fees up front and have them
reimbursed within 7 days. the Drugs - Aricept etc will be handed you FOC by
the chemist as the Vital card will inform them your parent is entitled to
free drugs. Wonderful system and they will also provide help to carers so
they can have 'time off' now and then.....
Let me know what else you want? I have
to be a bit circumspect as my wife prefers not to acknowledge she has
Alzheimer's and refers to it as a slight memory problem - sometimes she does
not know who I am!!!!
I think the French are very organised and provide a first class system. My impression is it is far more caring than the UK system but there is a bit of a language barrier unless you speak French.
regards
Michael
Please visit my web site if you have time
www.michaelbriant.com
