DLC

According to this it seems to be if you were an early retiree with residency before April 2012 with less than €100,000/year income and you can show you can't get healthcare elsewhere. I can't imagine there are many people who qualify now.

1sexsmith

Yes this is what I mean. I came in 1998 and have friends who were resident before 2012 and are not at retirement age but have free healthcare. They didn't have to have any letter of exportación It was simply automatic.

1sexsmith

But Spanish get free healthcare!!!

1sexsmith

If the OP is not at retirement age in UK and they do not need to present any new documents to get TIE then that means their pre 2012 residency gives them free healthcare - so they don't need private healthcare or the convenio

snikpoh

... are you sure? I thought (have been told by some Spanish friends) it's only whilst working

1sexsmith

No. All Spanish nationals have free healthcare irrespective of contributions

Qué es la asistencia sanitaria de la Seguridad Social?

La prestación de asistencia sanitaria garantiza el acceso a los servicios médicos y farmacéuticos del Sistema Nacional de Salud necesarios para conservar y restablecer la salud.

Son titulares del derecho a la protección de la salud y a la atención sanitaria todas las personas que:

• Tengan nacionalidad española y residencia habitual en el territorio español.

bobd22

Yes if the person is not retirement age or on a specific benefit they would not get an S1 hence I said if entitled to an S1. I see what you are saying if they were here before and are entitled to free Spanish healthcare they may be able to use this system. From a personal point of view I wouldn't see that as the right thing to do but each to their own morals. The OP has sorted out their residency which is a good thing for them. from what I have read to get healthcare under this system although one doesn't need an S1 my understanding is they will need official proof they have no other means of getting healthcare in Spain? That may well mean a simple letter from NHS/DWP to prove that but could also mean some form of means testing by Spanish on ones income? As I say I think it's a bit rich to claim this having left Spain for literally the period of time that this law was passed. I personally would just be happy to retain my residency which I would take as a bonus.
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1sexsmith

The moral issue aside. The odd thing , which I am pointing out , is that as they now simply pick up a TIE card they don't need to prove healthcare. If they take that card to their local central salud they should then get free healthcare as the system will pick them up as being resident since 2012 and presumably they will get a new health card. Admittedly it seems very fortunate - but the ramifications are that any of us who have residency can leave Spain for much more than 2 or 5 years and return anytime we want.

DLC

That's the theory, but this link from Barcelona town council shows you what you need to get coverage started: And some regions are more likely to give coverage for certain things than others. Link here, see the links to the right, the PDF in English has a map on page 4 of different kinds of coverage per region.

By the way, the OP san check current status with social security here. If it says he's got coverage then he can ask for a "Documento acreditativo del derecho a asistencia sanitaria pública" to take to the GPs and sign on and get a healthcare card. If not then a meeting one of those conditions and maybe a visit to the social security office is needed to get that document.