HEALTH COVERAGE FOR EXPATRIATE RETIREES RULES CHANGE
Retirees who decide to move to Portugal tend to keep their health insurance coverage in France. This bad habit tends to to exasperate rightly so, French taxpayers. The French government, too, is beginning to no longer tolerate these non-resident retirees who take advantage of Portugal’s RNH and continues to receive medical treatment in France.
Article 52 of the PLFSS 2019 changes the health insurance regulations for non-resident retirees. From now on, they will have to be able to prove 15 years of insurance cover in France. These to benefit from health coverage for unexpected or scheduled care upon their return to France.
Who is affected by this change?
Retirees residing in a country with an EU agreement or in Maghreb countries that have specific social security agreements covering «health care» are not affected by this measure. For other retirees, Effective July 1, 2019, the date the measure takes effect, you must have 15 years of insurance coverage.
How will the 15-year period be calculated?
The 15-year period will be calculated based on all pension plans combined in France only. Quarters credited through an agreement or under EU regulations will therefore not be taken into account. Quarters of MDA (Insurance Duration Increase for Children), more commonly referred to as «quarters for children,» will be taken into account; as will the so-called «equivalent» quarters—that is, quarters credited for national military service, periods of unemployment, or periods of illness that resulted in the payment of a daily allowance.Purchased quarters should also be taken into account, but only if they were purchased under Option 2 (purchase for both the rate and the duration).
This measure takes effect on July 1, 2019
The announcement of this measure sparked strong reactions from elected officials representing French citizens living abroad. Discussions are therefore underway regarding the retroactive application of this measure to determine whether it will apply to current beneficiaries or only to new beneficiaries after July 1, 2019.
What are the options for health insurance coverage for retirees living abroad?
Enrollment in the CFE old-age insurance program allows insured individuals who have contributed for fewer than 15 years before leaving France to extend their period of contribution in France and thus, once retired, to receive coverage for medical care during stays in France.However, enrollment in the CFE old-age insurance program is currently limited to insured individuals who have lived in the host country for no more than 10 years.This 10-year restriction could be eliminated; a decree on this matter is expected to be issued in 2019. Expatriates who are not currently making contributions and have been living abroad for more than 10 years could then choose to enroll in the CFE old-age pension plan, thereby increasing their retirement benefits and gaining access to health insurance once they retire.
CFE Health Insurance Contributions Effective in 2019
If you have made contributions for more than 15 years in France
Retirees living abroad who continue to be eligible for health coverage during stays in France (more than 15 years of contributions) may enroll in the supplemental plan « Expat Health Withdrawal »under either the individual plan or the family plan (in which case the spouse must also be eligible for coverage in France with 15 years of contributions) for reimbursement of their expenses abroad.The premium is €357 per quarter (individual) and €648 per quarter (family).
If you have made contributions in France for fewer than 15 years
Other retirees (with fewer than 15 years of contributions) will have access to « MondExpat Health » which applies to all expatriates regardless of status (employee, self-employed, non-working, student) and covers healthcare costs in France and abroad. The flat rate depends on the policyholder’s age.The premium for the 60+ age group is €600 per quarter (individual) and €1,071 per quarter (family); this premium includes the option for medical care in France for 3 to 6 months.
Those who are already enrolled in the CFE health insurance plan have had a premium applied to them equal to their previous health insurance premium plus 5 %. They will therefore not be charged the «MondExpat Santé» rate.
Health Insurance Deduction
Logically, Since the entitlement to benefits is being eliminated, the health insurance contribution levied on expatriate retirees should also be eliminated.
