ExPatriate Healthcare

Thousands of Brtish people choose France for their holidays each year. Most will, at least, have dreamed of one day living there permanently. An annual dose of true heat and piercing blue skies is insufficent. The excellent wine at affordable prices and quality of food make the pleasures of living in France undeniable.

But there is another good reason that makes France an attractive country in which to live. It has the highest quality of healthcare in the world. This was the conclusion reached in a 2000 survey by the World Health Organisation. And no wonder! The French spend twice as much on their healthcare as his UK counterpart.

The funding of health in France is based mainly on obligatory social insurance schemes. For example both employer and employee contribute a share. In respect of the employee this appears as a statutory deduction on the salary slip. These contributions are passed on to one of various "Caisses". The actual "Caisse" will depend on the trade, profession or business of the individual. Approximately 70% of health funding comes from this source.