Recently a good (Spanish) friend of mine was diagnosed with lung cancer. He moved here from UK last year and is now covered under the E106 provision.

He was also diagnosed with TB which (after 3 weeks) they have now agreed was not the case - some mistake eh!

After stays in hospital to build his strength back up and having taken upward of 16 tablets per day, he is now in a position to have chemo.

He went for the treatment yesterday and was told that his SIP card was for tourists and as such did not cover chemo! He was told he had 3 options;

1. Pay 3000 euros per treatment
2. Go to England for the treatment
3. Do nothing

Option 1 is not possible as he doesn't have the money.
Option 2 is not possible as he is resident in Spain, on the padron etc. etc.
Option 3 would seem simply stupid.

They are now at their wits-end. They can't believe that the SIP card (from E106) does not cover such treatment. They've been back to argue the case but have got nowhere. They are VERY concerned that time is running out!

Is there a legal body (consulate?) that can sort this problem RAPIDLY?

Thanks for any suggestions.

I would contact the British Consulate in Alicante

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-...ulate-alicante

There is also a member of this forum who works in the Embassy looking after benefits etc

Try an PM or email to DWPinSpain

If he is legally resident in Spain, does not make social security payments but cannot afford to pay for healthcare then he can apply to get free healthcare because he is "destitute" or too poor to pay for it himself. He needs to go to the local social security office and ask for the relevant forms.

All Spanish residents are legally entitled to healthcare in Spain, it's just that some public servents dont know this yet so you may need to persevere until you get someone who will help you.

Best of luck

Yes he is legally resident in Spain (don't forget he's Spanish anyway) - he can't make the SS payments because he's too ill to work!

He could pay for healthcare but Spain does not provide a mechanism to do this! What I mean is, he can't go private now as his cancer would not be covered. He can't be an autonomo as he is too ill to work. So how else can he pay his SS contributions?

And anyway, why should he for the period of the E106!!!! I thought the whole purpose of the E106 was to get reciprocal treatment paid for by the NI contributions paid in UK.

He's also probably too ill to travel anywhere as every day they refuse to treat him, he degenerates further

He is fully covered under an E106. Please call us at the British Consulate in Alicante and we will help.

Regards
DWPinSpain

I thought I just explained. All Spanish residents are entitled to healthcare..

He just needs to make sure he fills in the right forms which can be complicated.

It may be easier for him to do it via the E106 especially since DWPSpain is there to help

Best of luck

Thanks Cricketman, I know you mean well but you don't say how he can get this cover.

My original point stands, how can he make SS payments to enable him to be covered.

(I am pursuing the E106 route with DWPinSpain)

My wife is an interpreter and has dealt with many similar cases in the Alicante province. The person is entitled to treatment under the 106 but local administrators often don't understand the system.

He needs to visit the appropriate social security office and fill out the appropriate forms and they will issue a medical card (SIP, here), which lasts for 18 months but is renewable. An initial visit to the town hall would help to locate the relevent social security office, where we live it's tucked away in the back streets behind the town hall.

Yes I did, I said he needed to go to the social security office and ask for the relevant forms.

I've just seen HBG has given similar advise also. There are a number of different laws (and forms) in Spain that means a person will always be covered for healthcare. You need to go to the social security office and fill in the correct form according to your circumstances.

Aarghhhh!

He's done all that and got the SIP card! It's just that the consultant says that this is just for tourists!!!!!

It's the normal (Spanish) bureaucracy gone mad.

Then he needs to go back and try again I'm afraid. It's all about persevering until you find the person who knows enough to be able to help you.

I had a similar situation acting on behalf of a friend here in Malaga. We had to go back three times to the same place. On the third visit the lady we spoke to admitted she didnt know, so sent us to someone else who did know and was very helpful.

To be fair, the laws on healthcare cover are extremely complicated. Even Aguirre the leader of the Madrid province was caught out saying that the laws dont cover everybody in Spain. Later she had to apologise when it was pointed out to her that they do. It would be easier if there was just one law and one form irrespective of circumstance, but that isnt so. It is also complicated because each province is responsible for its healthcare, but it is a national law that healthcare cover must be provided free of charge to those people who are excluded from the social security system and cannot afford to pay for healthcare themseles.

If a Spanish National presents at a Spanish State Hospital with a SIP card, how on earth did they deem him to be a tourist?

I am sure it can be rectified.

Let us know how he gets on as is very worrying.

People seem to be confusing Social Security (INSS) with Health Centre (Centro Salud).

If one is destitute and not covered by the system, they should go to their local Centro Salud and request the relevant forms there, saying that they are "Sin Recurso". SIPs are issued at the Centro Salud.

The Autonomous Region provides the actual health care, not INSS, hence the reason for asking the Autonomous Region for help.

As is normal, the staff at the health centre may not know the rules, and might send one to INSS, which is unnecessary.

If there is a problem at the health centre, a visit to INSS and a phone call by them generally rectifies the situation.

Yes we alternated between the two. I thought INSS would be a good first port of call, but yes go directly to your local health centre.