Retiring to France in 2026: What Does the New PUMA Healthcare Contribution Mean for US Retirees?
If you are planning to retire to France from the United States, healthcare is likely to be one of your... Source
As non-working US retirees look to relocate to France for their golden years, a looming healthcare contribution known as the "PUMA tax" has caught their attention. Introduced in 2026, this mandate requires certain non-working French residents to contribute financially towards their public healthcare under Article L160-1-1 of the French Social Security Code.
However, the exact amount of this contribution remains undisclosed as the implementing decree has yet to be published. PUMA (Protection Universelle Maladie) enables those residing in France on a stable basis to access public healthcare regardless of their work status. This affects non-working residents, including some long-stay visitors who later join the French healthcare system.
While the legal change grants France a new financial mechanism for requiring contributions from specific non-working residents, the precise amount is uncertain due to the lack of an official decree. The situation differs for British pensioners who have the UK-EU social-security arrangements in place, allowing them to register under an S1 certificate and have healthcare costs coordinated through the UK.
As such, British retirees will likely be unaffected by the new PUMA tax, unlike their US counterparts who rely on residence-based PUMA.
Written by urgent.news from FrenchEntree's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
