"I am just guessing here, but, after all, why would a national health plan qualify as an exemption from the Part B penalty for late enrollment only during employment abroad and not afterward.  So, an expat working in France for instance would not face the Part B late enrollment penalty while employed there, but if he then remained there during retirement he would suddenly face the penalty if he were to return to the US.  There doesn't seem to be a logical reason for it. "

 

The reason is there are two different types of National Health Insurance in the EU;

One based on EARNED credit (starting at 23 yrs age) , the other one valid only as long your are living in the country.

If you got the insurance based on only living you can't move it to an other EU country. So, moving it to USA won't work nether.

 

>There doesn't seem to be a logical reason for it. "<

I think it's very logical; Why wound some one just move in and get FREE lunch?

 

However, I don't know about the other, the earned one. Maybe you can move it to the States too? You can move it to all 28 EU countries with same benefits as people living there. All bills are paid by the country you earned the insurance originally.

 

Siriniu,

 

Maybe you get S1 form and try to get it approved by Greese?

If you get Insurance move approved to an other EU country it MAY be enough for the US as well.

 

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/social-security-forms/index_en.htm

 

1 hour ago, GypsyT said:

"I am just guessing here, but, after all, why would a national health plan qualify as an exemption from the Part B penalty for late enrollment only during employment abroad and not afterward.  So, an expat working in France for instance would not face the Part B late enrollment penalty while employed there, but if he then remained there during retirement he would suddenly face the penalty if he were to return to the US.  There doesn't seem to be a logical reason for it. "

 

The reason is there are two different types of National Health Insurance in the EU;

One based on EARNED credit (starting at 23 yrs age) , the other one valid only as long your are living in the country.

If you got the insurance based on only living you can't move it to an other EU country. So, moving it to USA won't work nether.

 

>There doesn't seem to be a logical reason for it. "<

I think it's very logical; Why wound some one just move in and get FREE lunch?

 

However, I don't know about the other, the earned one. Maybe you can move it to the States too? You can move it to all 28 EU countries with same benefits as people living there. All bills are paid by the country you earned the insurance originally.

 

Doesn't quite make sense to me, because Medicare is quite different in that it only covers seniors.  Americans pay in during our working years, but they are accruing credits that will only provide actual health care benefits at age 65.  The French Sécurité Sociale provides health care coverage to everyone.  I don't think there is any concept in the French system of paying now for future health care benefits.  From the taxpayer's point of view it is all pay-as-you-go.

 

So, an American worker in France is paying into the Sécu which provides for his current health care.  But none of those payments get passed on to US Medicare as far as I know.  So, when he moves back to the US and signs up for Part B without a late enrollment penalty he is indeed getting a free lunch.

 

It could be that the US French treaty permits this free lunch to Americans because of some reciprocal benefit that it provides to the French.