An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
#151
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Umm, no they did.
Hides of rhinoceros this lot and now with an added hint of 'metrics' thrown in.
I checked yesterday on the current status, lo and behold it was dispatched 31/07/2020, thus not breaching the three month 'being a bit late' metric.
But I am still not in receipt of said document. Not that I need it anymore, another 25 quid down the pan.
Ok, 2nd class mail (UK) notwithstanding it could have been hand-couriered, even respecting 14 day quarantine regulations...
As Expatrick says, GRO are a disgrace.
Hides of rhinoceros this lot and now with an added hint of 'metrics' thrown in.
I checked yesterday on the current status, lo and behold it was dispatched 31/07/2020, thus not breaching the three month 'being a bit late' metric.
But I am still not in receipt of said document. Not that I need it anymore, another 25 quid down the pan.
Ok, 2nd class mail (UK) notwithstanding it could have been hand-couriered, even respecting 14 day quarantine regulations...
As Expatrick says, GRO are a disgrace.
Last edited by BuckinghamshireBoy; Aug 18th 2020 at 8:45 pm. Reason: Far too many commas
#152
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Umm, no they did.
Hides of rhinoceros this lot and now with an added hint of 'metrics' thrown in.
I checked yesterday on the current status, lo and behold it was dispatched 31/07/2020, thus not breaching the three month 'being a bit late' metric.
But I am still not in receipt of said document. Not that I need it anymore, another 25 quid down the pan.
Ok, 2nd class mail (UK) notwithstanding it could have been hand-couriered, even respecting 14 day quarantine regulations...
As Expatrick says, GRO are a disgrace.
Hides of rhinoceros this lot and now with an added hint of 'metrics' thrown in.
I checked yesterday on the current status, lo and behold it was dispatched 31/07/2020, thus not breaching the three month 'being a bit late' metric.
But I am still not in receipt of said document. Not that I need it anymore, another 25 quid down the pan.
Ok, 2nd class mail (UK) notwithstanding it could have been hand-couriered, even respecting 14 day quarantine regulations...
As Expatrick says, GRO are a disgrace.
Disappointed that I have to write to you again regarding non delivery of items as promised. Order below still not received as at 10 November - given that UK / Hungary post only takes 2 or 3 days this should have been received by me by 25 October. This really is not good enough.
Contrast your service with the Dutch who shipped out a certificate in less than 7 days!
Please expedite immediately!
Thanks
Contrast your service with the Dutch who shipped out a certificate in less than 7 days!
Please expedite immediately!
Thanks
#153
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Hell fire and buckets of teeth.
I started receiving my state pension from CH four months ago. Ever mindful of obligations, I informed my local health insurer that as I now had an income, could they please adjust - upwards, obviously - the contributions?
They responded by blocking our health insurance cover, saying that I need to provide an S1 from CH. I kicked back sending them copies of forms sent when exiting the Swiss system showing that I had categorically declined any further insurance obligations in CH. Which becomes null and void when one is in receipt of a Swiss pension, but nobody bothered to mention that bit.
This has gone up and back down the food chain fairly rapidly, but the result is that we have (under EU law) not a sodding leg to stand on, we must re-enter the ridiculously overpriced Swiss health insurance system.
And there’s the sting, the Swiss premiums are at best approximately six fold of those that we’ve been paying for the past couple of years. Or to put it another way, roughly 60% of my pension will now have to go towards our health insurance rather than the 10% originally calculated.
Even assuming (ha!) that my UK pension kicks in next year, CH will remain the ‘competent country’ for health insurance - UK 21 years, CH 26 years.
Bugger.
Just when it was all going so nicely.
I started receiving my state pension from CH four months ago. Ever mindful of obligations, I informed my local health insurer that as I now had an income, could they please adjust - upwards, obviously - the contributions?
They responded by blocking our health insurance cover, saying that I need to provide an S1 from CH. I kicked back sending them copies of forms sent when exiting the Swiss system showing that I had categorically declined any further insurance obligations in CH. Which becomes null and void when one is in receipt of a Swiss pension, but nobody bothered to mention that bit.
This has gone up and back down the food chain fairly rapidly, but the result is that we have (under EU law) not a sodding leg to stand on, we must re-enter the ridiculously overpriced Swiss health insurance system.
And there’s the sting, the Swiss premiums are at best approximately six fold of those that we’ve been paying for the past couple of years. Or to put it another way, roughly 60% of my pension will now have to go towards our health insurance rather than the 10% originally calculated.
Even assuming (ha!) that my UK pension kicks in next year, CH will remain the ‘competent country’ for health insurance - UK 21 years, CH 26 years.
Bugger.
Just when it was all going so nicely.
#154
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Hell fire and buckets of teeth.
I started receiving my state pension from CH four months ago. Ever mindful of obligations, I informed my local health insurer that as I now had an income, could they please adjust - upwards, obviously - the contributions?
They responded by blocking our health insurance cover, saying that I need to provide an S1 from CH. I kicked back sending them copies of forms sent when exiting the Swiss system showing that I had categorically declined any further insurance obligations in CH. Which becomes null and void when one is in receipt of a Swiss pension, but nobody bothered to mention that bit.
This has gone up and back down the food chain fairly rapidly, but the result is that we have (under EU law) not a sodding leg to stand on, we must re-enter the ridiculously overpriced Swiss health insurance system.
And there’s the sting, the Swiss premiums are at best approximately six fold of those that we’ve been paying for the past couple of years. Or to put it another way, roughly 60% of my pension will now have to go towards our health insurance rather than the 10% originally calculated.
Even assuming (ha!) that my UK pension kicks in next year, CH will remain the ‘competent country’ for health insurance - UK 21 years, CH 26 years.
Bugger.
Just when it was all going so nicely.
I started receiving my state pension from CH four months ago. Ever mindful of obligations, I informed my local health insurer that as I now had an income, could they please adjust - upwards, obviously - the contributions?
They responded by blocking our health insurance cover, saying that I need to provide an S1 from CH. I kicked back sending them copies of forms sent when exiting the Swiss system showing that I had categorically declined any further insurance obligations in CH. Which becomes null and void when one is in receipt of a Swiss pension, but nobody bothered to mention that bit.
This has gone up and back down the food chain fairly rapidly, but the result is that we have (under EU law) not a sodding leg to stand on, we must re-enter the ridiculously overpriced Swiss health insurance system.
And there’s the sting, the Swiss premiums are at best approximately six fold of those that we’ve been paying for the past couple of years. Or to put it another way, roughly 60% of my pension will now have to go towards our health insurance rather than the 10% originally calculated.
Even assuming (ha!) that my UK pension kicks in next year, CH will remain the ‘competent country’ for health insurance - UK 21 years, CH 26 years.
Bugger.
Just when it was all going so nicely.
Wait - you live in Belgium? How are you supposed to get your health care in CH? Or do you get the care in Belgium and the CH system pays?
Also - is that you in the first para?
#155
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
'tis utterly ridiculous. I blame Cameron.
Yes, any care would be provided in Belgium, charged back to the Swiss insurers.
I believe the screenshot you posted is from the Swiss Federal website?
But hang on... in response to your question "is that you in the first para?" I would normally have said yes, but are you possibly suggesting that I'm not, in fact I'm a Third Country National - which I believe that I have been as of Feb 1st 2020?
It's a nice idea... however, elsewhere on the FedWeb site:
Leaving Switzerland to live abroad
When a person takes up domicile abroad, their obligation to maintain Swiss compulsory health insurance ends when they leave Switzerland. Exceptions apply for certain groups of people (pensioners, cross-border commuters, posted workers, etc.) by virtue of the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU, the EFTA Convention and other international social-security agreements.I have my Swiss lawyer (eldest stepdaughter) on the case, she currently believes that we have to go with it.
#156
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
I sympathise, but many of these rules have been set in concrete for a while during the time that UK was member of the EU. Belgium is unusual in the fact that the health system has relatively low premiums. Next door in the Netherlands, like CH, it’s also pretty expensive if you are on the national system. Do you pay taxes on your CH pension to CH? If so you should most likely get a reduction on your BE taxes due to a dual taxation agreement at least. Is there a rule dictating where your health insurance has to come from? As in CH rather than UK? Oh yes..just saw the other bit...
All these things take time to sort out and sift through...but that’s life. At least you can get health insurance!
All these things take time to sort out and sift through...but that’s life. At least you can get health insurance!
Last edited by calman014; Nov 27th 2020 at 9:15 pm.
#157
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Your input is much appreciated.
'tis utterly ridiculous. I blame Cameron.
Yes, any care would be provided in Belgium, charged back to the Swiss insurers.
I believe the screenshot you posted is from the Swiss Federal website?
But hang on... in response to your question "is that you in the first para?" I would normally have said yes, but are you possibly suggesting that I'm not, in fact I'm a Third Country National - which I believe that I have been as of Feb 1st 2020?
It's a nice idea... however, elsewhere on the FedWeb site:
Also on FedWeb it delves into persons in receipt of a Swiss pension and where they are subsequently domiciled, exemptions are possible for pensioners domiciled in neighbouring countries - Austria, Germany, France and Italy...
I have my Swiss lawyer (eldest stepdaughter) on the case, she currently believes that we have to go with it.
'tis utterly ridiculous. I blame Cameron.
Yes, any care would be provided in Belgium, charged back to the Swiss insurers.
I believe the screenshot you posted is from the Swiss Federal website?
But hang on... in response to your question "is that you in the first para?" I would normally have said yes, but are you possibly suggesting that I'm not, in fact I'm a Third Country National - which I believe that I have been as of Feb 1st 2020?
It's a nice idea... however, elsewhere on the FedWeb site:
Also on FedWeb it delves into persons in receipt of a Swiss pension and where they are subsequently domiciled, exemptions are possible for pensioners domiciled in neighbouring countries - Austria, Germany, France and Italy...
I have my Swiss lawyer (eldest stepdaughter) on the case, she currently believes that we have to go with it.
I got that from this pdf, which I'm sure is far surpassed in usefulness by your stepdaughter.
https://www.ahv-iv.ch/p/890.e
I sympathize on costs - I'm about to start paying a giant premium for our plan for OH and self. I kicked my son off it since he's in the UK now, or it would have been a lot more
#158
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
I sympathise, but many of these rules have been set in concrete for a while during the time that UK was member of the EU. Belgium is unusual in the fact that the health system has relatively low premiums. Next door in the Netherlands, like CH, it’s also pretty expensive if you are on the national system. Do you pay taxes on your CH pension to CH? If so you should most likely get a reduction on your BE taxes due to a dual taxation agreement at least. Is there a rule dictating where your health insurance has to come from? As in CH rather than UK? Oh yes..just saw the other bit...
All these things take time to sort out and sift through...but that’s life. At least you can get health insurance!
All these things take time to sort out and sift through...but that’s life. At least you can get health insurance!
I just had a look at the health insurance costs payable to CH should we have ended up in NL rather than BE (as per the original moving thread) and that would have been even worse.
I got that from this pdf, which I'm sure is far surpassed in usefulness by your stepdaughter.
https://www.ahv-iv.ch/p/890.e
I sympathize on costs - I'm about to start paying a giant premium for our plan for OH and self. I kicked my son off it since he's in the UK now, or it would have been a lot more
https://www.ahv-iv.ch/p/890.e
I sympathize on costs - I'm about to start paying a giant premium for our plan for OH and self. I kicked my son off it since he's in the UK now, or it would have been a lot more
Stepdaughter confirmed late last night that we have to go with it.
Ok, the cost is going to cause a bit of pain, but that's not really what has gotten my goat, it's the principle, it seems altogether wrong (on so many levels, before anyone else gets in with that particular joke).
Good luck with your stuff...
#159
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Hell fire and buckets of teeth.
I started receiving my state pension from CH four months ago. Ever mindful of obligations, I informed my local health insurer that as I now had an income, could they please adjust - upwards, obviously - the contributions?
They responded by blocking our health insurance cover, saying that I need to provide an S1 from CH. I kicked back sending them copies of forms sent when exiting the Swiss system showing that I had categorically declined any further insurance obligations in CH. Which becomes null and void when one is in receipt of a Swiss pension, but nobody bothered to mention that bit.
This has gone up and back down the food chain fairly rapidly, but the result is that we have (under EU law) not a sodding leg to stand on, we must re-enter the ridiculously overpriced Swiss health insurance system.
And there’s the sting, the Swiss premiums are at best approximately six fold of those that we’ve been paying for the past couple of years. Or to put it another way, roughly 60% of my pension will now have to go towards our health insurance rather than the 10% originally calculated.
Even assuming (ha!) that my UK pension kicks in next year, CH will remain the ‘competent country’ for health insurance - UK 21 years, CH 26 years.
Bugger.
Just when it was all going so nicely.
I started receiving my state pension from CH four months ago. Ever mindful of obligations, I informed my local health insurer that as I now had an income, could they please adjust - upwards, obviously - the contributions?
They responded by blocking our health insurance cover, saying that I need to provide an S1 from CH. I kicked back sending them copies of forms sent when exiting the Swiss system showing that I had categorically declined any further insurance obligations in CH. Which becomes null and void when one is in receipt of a Swiss pension, but nobody bothered to mention that bit.
This has gone up and back down the food chain fairly rapidly, but the result is that we have (under EU law) not a sodding leg to stand on, we must re-enter the ridiculously overpriced Swiss health insurance system.
And there’s the sting, the Swiss premiums are at best approximately six fold of those that we’ve been paying for the past couple of years. Or to put it another way, roughly 60% of my pension will now have to go towards our health insurance rather than the 10% originally calculated.
Even assuming (ha!) that my UK pension kicks in next year, CH will remain the ‘competent country’ for health insurance - UK 21 years, CH 26 years.
Bugger.
Just when it was all going so nicely.
#160
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,013
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
This insurance system is a real bitch. Austria (where we live by choice) insists that I cannot buy voluntary insurance income based. Reason: German pension. However my German pension contribution does not meet the number of years required to get S1 medical cover. Austria still refuses. I took the matter to SOLVIT. They took 6 months to respond and 3 weeks to tell me I have no claim. I'm 15 months short because I no longer have a piece of paper from 30 yrs ago to prove the 15 mts. The medical aid denying my claim was the one I was insured with 30 yrs ago.
#161
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
This insurance system is a real bitch. Austria (where we live by choice) insists that I cannot buy voluntary insurance income based. Reason: German pension. However my German pension contribution does not meet the number of years required to get S1 medical cover. Austria still refuses. I took the matter to SOLVIT. They took 6 months to respond and 3 weeks to tell me I have no claim. I'm 15 months short because I no longer have a piece of paper from 30 yrs ago to prove the 15 mts. The medical aid denying my claim was the one I was insured with 30 yrs ago.
#162
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,013
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Other option would be to move to Germany. Then I could buy voluntary insurance. But I need to show an income tax return.
#163
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
Communication in The Low Countries - In the area where dominant tongues are Netherlands/Flemish I used to bring out my variety of this - "Ek praat nie Nederlands nie. Ek kan Afrikaans praat." That was usually enough to steer the chat in a different direction !
Last edited by scot47; Nov 29th 2020 at 4:10 pm.
#164
Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
I have a private policy for when I'm in Thailand which is most of the year in normal times. In case of inpatient they will give cover worldwide. Outpatient no. In theory the policy doesn't qualify for my residency status. But it's Austria. For outpatient treatment I go to Germany as it is a fraction of the price of Austria. I live just across the border. Luckily, hubby got British S1 form. If I wasn't an honest person....but I am.
Other option would be to move to Germany. Then I could buy voluntary insurance. But I need to show an income tax return.
Other option would be to move to Germany. Then I could buy voluntary insurance. But I need to show an income tax return.
You and hubby are ordinarily/permanently resident in Austria? And that neither of you are entitled to an Austrian pension?
By virtue of hubby's British S1, that would imply that UK is considered to be the 'competent country' in terms of health insurance for him and his dependants? In which case I don't understand the "If I wasn't an honest person" statement.
Or does that change if you yourself are in receipt of a pension from another EU member state - in this case Germany?