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| Working part-time and health cover |
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| Tuesday, 04 December 2007 | |
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Dear French News, My recovery from surgery in France was progressing really well, then today I received the shocking news that despite my employment and payments into the French social security system I have no rights to state healthcare cover following the law change affecting foreigners here in France. I am now dreading an invoice for thousands of euros to arrive from the hospital. I’m resident here in the Sarthe and have been for three years with a carte vitale. My entitlement to Assurance Maladie through the E106 was, as intended, terminated early because I found part-time work. Now it appears that even though I thought I had another four months to increase my hours to 60 per month or take out a full health insurance, I do not because I am not “economically inactive” during my 4.5 hours at work each week. I’ve been told by a very uptight CPAM fonctionnaire that the deadline date of March 31, 2008 does not apply to me because I have been working in France and paying cotisations but have not worked enough hours to meet the new criteria. I explained that this approach is discriminatory when there are individuals who do not pay in the system at all and are still entitled until the end of March. Why should I being treated differently when I earn such a pittance? I have been receiving reimbursements following the presentation of my now defunct carte vitale up until today when it was cancelled because I have had an operation which has brought me to the attention of CPAM. Why did they not notify me before I decided to have the surgery and before I subscribed to complementary healthcare cover, which I have paid for in full? Finally, the most bizarre thing is that I am still employed and my employer and I still have to pay cotisations despite the fact that I have no entitlement to state healthcare cover! Clearly this is likely to affect many other British people living and trying to integrate in France who could have a nasty shock awaiting them if they go into hospital. Your thoughts on actions I could take to remedy my predicament will be really welcome. Julia Elliott  According to our volunteer researcher Ron Wright: The rules apply to everybody in the same manner - French, and other nationals legally here, alike. If you comply with one of the rules, then it brings entitlement to basic health cover. You are working 18 hours in one month which does not meet the 60 rule, hence CPAM’s refusal. You need a minimum of 60 hours in one month and to submit salary statements supporting this to the CPAM. Sixty hours in one month is the total for entitlement in order to receive one year’s basic health cover – you do not have to work 60 hours every month! You can repeat this in further years. In your situation, the second rule of 120 hours in three months be possible (ie, 40 hours per month) THE MINIMUM HOUR EMPLOYEE WORK RULES FOR BASIC HEALTH COVER In order to have basic State health reimbursement rights for one year, you must justify: (a)having worked at least 60 hours in salaried employment in France during one month OR (b)having worked at least 120 hours in salaried employment in France during three months OR (c)having worked at least 1200 hours in France during 12 months For full information you are advised to consult www.ameli.fr because, besides the above simple rules, there are further possible rules linked to the hourly SMIC rate. Furthermore, rules sometimes change, so this site needs to be consulted for the latest information. As always, paying for complementary health insurance to cover the shortfall in basic State reimbursements remains an important decision, especially where hospitalisation is concerned. |
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