Ah the world renowned French healthcare system, known to be one of the best in the world! So why am I having such a hard time participating in this universal system???
Since arriving in France I have opened a bank account with ease, registered with Pôle Emploi (employment services) with some difficulty, and filled out employment documents without a defined social security number, however, access to universal healthcare has been a rollercoaster of red tape, changing qualifying conditions and varying opinions.
Initially I was led to believe that by the mere fact that I am a French citizen with a residential address (and mail to prove it from Pôle Emploi), that I would only need to fill in basic paperwork and I would qualify for healthcare. Unfortunately not so L
After speaking with an employee at the Sécurité Sociale (which is in charge of both social security and health care), I filled out the pre-requisite forms and returned to find out that because I was not working and did not have previous employment in France, in order to receive the Carte Vitale (health card), I would need to declare my worldly income for the last 2 years and pay a percentage of the difference over €9000 ($12500) from the previous year!! This was after being told that it did not matter that I was newly living in France and not working, but that my citizenship was entitlement enough. I should also mention that in France, citizens carry one card called the Carte Vitale that encompasses both social security and health care details, and the numbers are one and the same for coverage. So a bit different from the Canadian SIN and provincial OHIP that I am so accustomed to. Oh, and strangely, I was able to start working without a defined social security number?! Instead it is the responsibility of your employer to take care of all documentation upon hire. Bonus, right!! Except that on my first pay check my social security number had the routine first half of the required numbers based on gender, birthday, place of birth (as specific numbers are assigned to each of these), but the remaining numbers are a series of 000000, and as such I am required to go through the routine application process for my Carte Vitale…
After numerous appointments and documents and opinions of various workers at the Sécurité Sociale, alas I have a job and can now apply directly for the card without declaring other income or untangling myself from the red tape! But wait!!! Lo and behold I have to actually go and get sick before any of this can be done….and now I am faced with, I hope, a completed application for health care coverage, and a folder full of medical receipts. It all started around the time I was hired with a lingering ear infection that was not going away despite antibiotics, ear drops and pain killers. After several weeks, and a few weeks into the new job, I ended up meeting with a specialist at the hospital and had my ear aspirated (aka vacuumed), in a procedure that took nearly an hour and caused tears of pain near the end L While I have had this procedure done many times in the past, it had never taken this long or caused as much pain and discomfort. So began another round of even stronger antibiotics and ear drops and a follow up appointment to the specialist to have my ear vacuumed out again; but thankfully a much shorter procedure of around 10 minutes with minimal pain. And while the saga of ear infections, new jobs, and lingering health cards wanes on; I sit and I wait for a time of answers and reimbursements.....
No comments:
Post a Comment