Last month, when the new “health year” began in France, as many as 100,000 resident British expatriots under retirement age had to face the financial consequences of losing their entitlement to free health care. In a letter that pulled no punches, they were told to return their documents entitling them to free state medical treatment and henceforth to expect to pay.

The new rules are a side effect of Président Sarkozy’s campaign to end some workers’ entitlement to retire at 50 and stop paying into the healthcare system. Any foreign resident who retires early is now required to take up residential status after two years and to pay taxes and national health contributions, or else take out a private health care policy. This could cost up to £2,500 per annum, with an excess on each claim of the first £50.

France is following in the footsteps of other European countries, such as Greece and Spain, in refusing free medical care to expatriots except for emergencies. In the UK, however, any expatriot ‘ordinarily resident’ usually remains entitled to free health treatment regardless of age and status.

November 2007