Wee Tip – Know your rights
Feb 27th 2009GailHandy Hints
Recently, I have heard as happens every year, there are a number of people claiming to be physios, working in the area providing massages and more scarily physio treatments.
Some facts for your to know, firstly, you should always, as I have previously explained in my pages on the legal bits, ask if your physio is registered within the French system, when you are about to book a session, if so they will have a “feuille de soins”, receipt, with an official number, their name, address etc, similar to the Doctor’s ones. This is firstly, to know that your physio has a certain standard of physiotherapy skills and not only a masseur(eus), beutician etc. I have picked up patients for physio after having deep massages, where they suffer neck and shoulder problems later!
Secondly, it is extremely important when putting in a claim for your fees which can be over 100’s€ if you need a few sessions, as most Insurance companies are asking for the official paperwork, i.e. the registered number, before they will pay up. You are of course paying for your insurance, so why not be able to claim the sometimes weightly fees back after an injury, I recently had a couple who’s insurance company would also cover the cost of sports massage for them whilst on holiday, but only with the registration number. I hope for more of these checks, being fully registred and having to pay all the charges throughout the year here in order to live and work in such a lovely area, it is a bit gauling to see others pocketting their gains and going.
Thirdly, is for the insurance, some people are claiming they are either Chartered Physios in Britain, or are insured masseurs in France. Unfortunately, neither of these types of people are legally working as masseurs in France, therefore, any insurance bought by them would be nul if tried to claim. As I previously explained in my page, legal bits, one must be fully registered within the French system of health care as a Kinésitherapeut (Physio), before being allowed to do either physio or massage, legally, in France.
Finally, a note to those of you who may be running Chalets/businesses/living in France, take care if you are advising your clients to use someone not registered in France, for massage or physio, as if your client tries to sue the physio/masseur, which unfortunately is something of a growth industry throughout the world, they will not, presumably be able to get any justice with the physio and you know the next door they will knock at, yours!
Finally, finally, spare a thought to those of us who are working hard all year to make ends meet, the winter for us is the time where tourists are here and we can work harder to gain a living, so why should outsiders be allowed to take the profits from this area away and are contributing nothing to the area/system here? Support the local people please as if they go the whole area suffers.