CPAM (Caisse Primaire Assurance Maladie) Visit this office after receiving your E106 (from the DHS (formerly the DHSS) in England with all relevant documentation i.e. Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Passport, Utility Bills, etc. You will be granted for up to 2 years with a Carte Vitale, (green card) running from 1st Jan of the year you arrive.

Once that has expired, you can go on to the French health system, using Form E121 - so long as you are over the official retirement age - i.e. entitled to UK state pension.

Once you have this "justicatif" from the tax office, you need to get an application form from your local/regional CPAM (Caisse Primaire Assurance Maladies) to apply for health cover. Do remember the golden rule – take everything with you from passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce papers, utility bills, P60 etc.

The Manche social security office now have a French/English hotline to help people navigate the red tape of the French health system. There are six bilingual advisers on hand to guide telephone callers.

The phone number is: 08 20 90 42 12

Early retirees to France: important changes to the French healthcare system

The French authorities are changing their domestic rules on eligibility for health care services for people not working in France. This means that some people including those retiring to France from other European countries (including the United Kingdom) and who are not yet in receipt of a state pension or other eligible benefit will no longer be covered by the French system and will need to take out private health insurance. These changes affect people living in France and do not apply to people making a temporary visit to France, e.g., on holiday.

Due to changes in the French domestic rules on eligibility for health care services, for people who are not working in France, some people including those retiring to France from other European countries (including the United Kingdom) and who are not yet in receipt of a state pension or other eligible benefit, will no longer be covered by the French system and will need to take out private health insurance.

The following will continue to be covered:-

E121 holders (those in receipt of, UK state pension/long term incapacity benefit/widow or widower)
E106 holders (those people under state pension age who have worked in the UK or are in receipt of short term incapacity benefit). The E106 is issued for a maximum of 2 and a half years.

These forms must be registered with the French authorities.

For those people already living in France the changes will not take effect until 31 March 2008.

According to the French Government’s published statement the position is:
All inactive EU citizens already accessing CMU healthcare coverage will continue to do so until 31 March 2008 after which they will be required to have their own personal medical insurance, unless their inactive status changes in the meantime.
All inactive EU citizens under retirement age (ie those already resident in France and those planning to move in future) who are not entitled to healthcare reimbursement (through the E106 or E109 forms), will be required to have their own personal medical insurance until they reach UK retirement age (and therefore qualify for entitlement to the E121 form), or until they qualify as a French resident (which is after 5 years of regular, uninterrupted residence).
•People already over retirement age who are holders of an E121 which is registered with the French authorities will remain unaffected.

This information is based on what we have been told by the French authorities. See:

Affiliation à la CMU pour les ressortissants britanniques inactifs - entitlement to healthcare in France for inactive British residents

We suggest people seek further information from one or more of the following:

CPAM - The French Health Service (English language service): +33 8 20 90 42 12

CLEISS - (France's helpdesk for international mobility and social security):
11 rue de la tour des Dames
75436 Paris Cedex 09
Tel: +33 1 45 26 33 41

Centre des Liaisons Européennes et Internationales de Sécurité Sociale (CLEISS)

DWP Overseas Medical Benefits helpline: Tel: +44 (0) 191 218 1999 (Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm)

To apply for an E121 or E106 please contact:
E121: 0191 218 6503 (Department for Work and Pensions)
E106 :0191 218 1999 (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information courtesy of Department of Health. 24th September 2007.
 

The hotline will be tested for six months and if it proves successful it will be extended to the rest of France, with all English-language calls being redirected to the Manche's special service.