Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Can anyone advise me if the following little scenario rings true or not:

British long-term expat living on Costa del Sol. Under 65 years old, has no private medical insurance and hasn't paid social security in ages.

He was recently taken into hospital for emergency treatment (heart attack). The hospital did whatever it is that they do as an emergency measure, but initially refused to operate and put in the stents(?) as he has no SS, but were somehow persuaded and he now has a bill for circa 2000 euros.

He will now need medication for life which will cost a small fortune, but obviously can't get it on the SS as he ain't got none.

Here's the bit I want confirming:

I'm being told that if he backpays 25 months of SS (circa €6000) and starts paying the monthly cuota he will be covered by the SS again for his future heart attack medication.

I suspect I might have to go to the Seg Social and ask, but has anyone heard about this backpaying option and know anything about it?

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

awful situation and all too common:(

I've never heard of this 'back-payment' thing, though I'm sure many would be interested in it

also, I thought that, except in the Valencia region, you couldn't just pay a cuota -you actually had to be properly autonomo or on a contract:confused:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I can't help you with that one, but that scenario sounds a bit like asking an insurance company that you haven't had any dealings with to pay out when your house has burned down. :confused:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Did this person ever do a baja from autonomo or just stop paying?

No doesnt make sense to me so find out if he owes anything. Also if is so ill cant work, he wouldnt have to pay monthly cuota because would get signed off sick. Thats apart from SS & Hacienda being unwilling to let people pay cuotas without an activity.

Otherwise just enroll him in the Valencia scheme (assuming thats where he is).

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Hmm, I don't know whether he did the baja or not, but I suspect he didn't.

He should be paying the monthly quota as he has been self-employed for the last couple of years or so.....just not paying the SS :confused:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Do you mean he was never registered as self employed? Because if he was and stopped paying without completing the formalities they will not let him off.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

He used to be registered. All I know is that he hasn't paid SS for a couple of years, but whether or not he did the baja I don't know. He has been trading illegally for a couple of years now I suppose. Whether or not the SS/Hacienda know he has been trading illegally for the last couple of years I don't know. Going into hospital for a heart attack wouldn't necessarily flag this up??

But yes, it could be that this "backpaying" isn't something that is open to everyone wishing to get cover, but rather just paying what he owes!!

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Oh Dear looks like it. Someone needs to find out which drawer he keeps all his unopened post in and deal with it before he gets a nasty surprise.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

hi, I spoke with my accountant about a similar situation a while ago.

If it were me I would settle up the 2ke owed for treatment & immediately enrol on the ss to get full future cover.

I am not an acct btw, just a similat situ cropped up a while ago.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

He is fortunate to have a bill for only 2000!

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I have never heard of this payback scheme.

If he was up to date with his contributions, he would have been able to get sick pay, for tempary illness, the SS still has to be paid while receiving this payment though, and prescriptions too.

It is only after he has been throght the process of claiming and being given the permanent baja that the SS contributions change, I think, that you have to still pay half, and the government pay half untill reaching retirement age. And of course he would get sick pay.

I dont think you will get much info from the SS, but you could try going to the "mutua" just for general information.

Of course they will not "take him on their books" but they may give some good advice.

A lot of poeple pay thier quota to the likes of Mapfre and Fremap, they still have the same rights.

Hope it gets sorted.:fingerscrossed:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Well, that's for the hospital treatment. Then there is the future medication which is a small fortune, and the SS payments are about €6000. So he is getting stung pretty badly!

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Personally I think it is a bargain

If someone didnt have cover in the US that would have cost 100k plus.

I feel sorry for him for the situation he is in, it is a good reminder to people to make sure they have health cover in Spain, either state or private

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I too feel sorry for his situation, but had he been totally legal in the first place he wouldn't now find himself in such a mess.

It would be quite unfair for those who have paid into the system to now have to pick up the tab for his recklessness, health care provision should be at the top of every citizens list of priorities, not an afterthought!

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I have read that once you join the system it will cover all pre existing conditions (will it not ?)

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

yes, for as long as you are in it..........

if you drop out of it for any reason without doing the proper 'baja' then you have a debt to pay to cover any period of non-payment

if you 'baja' then at a later date 'alta' then cover starts again

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Thats right , and so much for the "everyones entitled to healthcare" crap we keep hearing off certain posters, I think if he starts paying again (assuming he can afford it:eek:) then they will have to treat him but wheres the sense in paying autonomo when your to ill to work!! the sysytem here is really screwed up:thumbdown:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

It does seem flawed, but that might the solution to the problem......if he could somehow start paying again, without having to pay back the rest straight away, even if later the deby can be repaid, then he would get sick pay, for a period while the doctor is giving him sick notes.

And more importantly have madical cover.

If then he is too ill to work after a year, the process could be started to claim permanant illness, providing enough contributions have been made.

It may not work, it may be a waste of time and effort, but having a go and being refused is better than not trying.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I dont disagree but why should an EU citizen have to jump through hoops to get medicare regadless of whether he has paid any SS or not ? the whole thing stinks:thumbdown: If a Spanish convicted SS fraudster came out of jail and had a heart attack he`d get immediate full cover for as long as it takes to recover:thumbdown:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Having lived in the UK, I agree with your sentiment,
but no matter how much we argue the toss, it does not change the way things are in Spain. Medical care is not universal, the same happens is France, Italy and other EU countries.

There are choices, jump through the hoops in Spain, or go back to the UK and get it free.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Good post JLFS...
We choose to live here so have to abide by the Spanish ways!
In just the same way as we have to accept that by being resident in the country of our choice... we automatically forfeit the benefits we may have been entitled to in the country of our birth....that's just the way it is!

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Wrong ,we choose to live in the EU where your rights are supposed to be the same in all countries.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

But surely people who move here should know what they are entitled to and what they aren't entitled to, so they cant complain

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I think we should be treated the same as Spanish citizens , no better , no worse ,

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

And that isnt what happens? :blink:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

the way I understand it we are:blink:


I have heard cases of non-spanish having trouble accessing all sorts of things, but as often as not that's down to a language issue, not knowing what is available, or jobsworths not wanting to help foreigners


or a combination of all three

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Read all the posts and you will see that no,that is not what happens ,Spanish get full medical cover regardless of financial situation where as other EU residents have to meet a criteria:thumbdown:

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

That's not true, you and others posting are confused

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I think any non Spanish speaker would take a translator along for serious illness ,surley? I also belive there is an unwritten rule not to help other nationalities get medicare if possible,

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Jobseekers lasts forever in the UK, it doesnt in Spain, or France or Italy and other countries, should Spain adopt the UK system then?

Right now the Uk is trying to cut this, because it is unsustainable.

But you are advocating that Spain, Italy and the res of the EU are out of step, surely it is the uk that is out of step with the rest of the EU in matters of benefits and such.

So which country is more right in its adminsitation of such matters?

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Yes Spanish get cover regardless,

No forigners dont get guaranteed cover,

Its that simple.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

Im against giving cash allowances to lay a bouts but do think they should get essential medicare if they are EU citizens .

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

No Spanish people dont get cover regardless, they have the same cover as all other Europeans in Spain.

You are wrong. I could explain it for you again if you like (I have done this before).

1. Children and adults until they get a job will be covered as a dependent on their parents social security
2. When the adult gets their first job they will be covered by their own/company social security payments
3. If they become unemployed, they will get x months of free cover. This will then run out
4. If the cover runs out then the adult has a choise whether to pay social security out of their savings, pay for private cover or declare that they are "sin recursos" so will need free cover provided by the state
5. If someone chooses to retire early in Spain (either Spanish or British/European) they will need to fund their own medical cover up until they draw their state pension.

That's it. Simple!

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I do too, but I am just trying to point out that it is the UK that is different, and Spain is more in line with EU policies as regards freebies.

That is on of the aspects that has to be weighed up when moving to Spain, the weather may be better but there is a downside too, and that is one of them, where the new country does not give the same amount of social car as the home country.

I have always said that there is a lot more advantage for other nationalities moving to Spain, because they usually have no social care at all in the homeland.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

That is the way it is....

There are lots of sad stories behind those facts and figures, and each one is tragic, but it is not so simple for the Spanish either, as Cman says.

But it is in no way a Spanish v incomers thing, as some posters seem to be implying, how can it be when there are so many natives in the same boat as the incomers?

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I am not so sure that they do.

I have a Spanish friend who has been autonomo for a long time and because of the recession had to do a baja as couldnt afford the monthly contribution.

His SIPS card was stopped after 3 months and couldnt get free healthcare.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

[QUOTE=whitelinen;9241926]I am not so sure that they do.

I have a Spanish friend who has been autonomo for a long time and because of the recession had to do a baja as couldnt afford the monthly contribution.

His%

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I quite agree with this statement, it's up to each individual to research the implications of such a move!

It also goes without saying that if an individual has not paid into the system they should not expect to take from it.
If the state of play doesn't suit then there is always the option of returning to the UK.....where incidentally medical cover for someone returning is not automatically available.

It always amazes me that Brits complain bitterly about immigrants to their country receiving benefits and health care they haven't paid into the system for, then in the next breath think they should be entitled to do exactly that in a country of their choice.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

It is difficult to accept that all health care in -Spain is not free, not after living in the UK.
Waiting untill pension age has its advantages, ie the free health care a prescriptions.

At the time of deciding on the move to spain, a young healthy couple would not always think of the problems that could arise if they had health issues, because it is an alien concept that thy cnnot just present themselbes at the doctor and be treated, moreso if they are on the padron and all.

If money is tight, dont think of the internet price, sort the important things out first and if there are any problems or pre existing conditions that may not be covered, then maybe the move should be delayed until the health care issue is solved.

Re: Backpaying SS to get cover
 

I wonder how many expats are aware that the Social Security system does not make any financial contribution whatsoever to the funding of the health services in Spain. The subscriptions paid into the SS are used to pay out the state pensions (and unemployment. maternity benefit etc). Health care, for more than last decade, has been funded solely by general taxation which, of course, everyone pays in one form or another. So if everyone now contributes to the system why should a small number (about 200,000) continue to excluded from health care ? Incidentally, it is a situation every major Spanish politically party agrees should be changed.