I read today that British expats in France have won a six-month fight to have the new rules regarding their entitlement to heathcare changed, and thought it was useful to compare the new situation in France, with the entitlement here in Spain.

“The French government has backed down on a policy that had stripped thousands of Britons living in France of their right to benefit from the French state health insurance system.”

In September last year expats, who had taken early retirement, were informed that they would no longer qualify for government health insurance from January 6th, until they reached retirement age. This sudden “retroactive” legislation was considered extremely unfair as many in the British community had chosen to move to France on the understanding that they would be covered. It was particularly stressful for those with chronic conditions who would be unable to take out private insurance.

The first concession was that anyone already in the French health system would continue to be covered, but this has now been extended to anyone who emigrated to France before Nov 23, 2007.

To read further click here: Full Article

I have posted a number of times on this subject as new articles came out in the press, and have found the fight interesting. Whilst I totally understand the dilema facing expats who had already moved to France, I actually can see why France wanted to change their overall policy, which will now apply to new emigrees. The French government said from the beginning that the proposed changes were the result of an EU directive on residency, and whatever the case, it does bring France into line with what happens here in Spain.

In Spain anyone under retirement age doesn’t qualify for state healthcare unless they are working and paying social security. Early retirees do have the right to see a national health doctor using their European Health Insurance Card (which replaced the E111), but this is for emergency one-off treatment, and not for ongoing or chronic conditions, operations etc. Private healthcare is the answer here too, to fill the interim until retirement age.

SO whilst I do believe that France went about the changes in the wrong way, the change was justified, as they appear to have been extremely generous in the past!

Even now I find it interesting, as I mentioned in a previous article, that retired expats can have all their treatment covered under the state system, as it must be quite a drain. Certainly here in Spain I am sure there are far more older British expats (with all their related health problems) than there are Spanish ones choosing to spend their retirement in the rather less sunny UK!