France backs down over expat healthcare

France backs down over expat healthcare

The French government has backed down over its decision to deny British expatriates living in France access to state health insurance.

The announcement follows a letter sent to early retired expats from the French authorities last September, which informed them that they would no longer qualify for government health insurance.

In November, the government softened its approach by stating that those already in receipt of state health insurance before November 23 would not be affected.

But it has now announced that any Briton who was legally resident in France on or before November 23, 2007 - whether or not they were in the French health system before that date - will still be able to access it.

Only those moving to France after that date will not qualify and will be required to seek private cover.

French Health Issues, a lobby group, declared the announcement a "great victory" for expats.

A letter to the group from the British Embassy in Paris stated: "The new rules requiring inactive EU nationals from other countries living in France after November 23, 2007 to seek private cover still apply, but will now not retrospectively affect people already resident in France before that date."

The Health Insurance Magazine: 25 January 2008