UKinSpain

The Department of Health has announced that as of the 1st July 2014, visitors to another EEA country will no longer be able to claim reimbursements where they pay part of the cost of their treatment. Under EU law, visitors with EHIC cards travelling to an EEA country, like Spain, should be treated under the same conditions as people who live in that country. So, if a Spanish state pensioner would normally pay part of the cost of their treatment, then the same would apply to a UK state pensioner. For further information please visit NHS Choices

snikpoh

They also posted, on other forums, that as of 1st July early retirees will NOT be entitled to an S1.

Domino

so that is why I pay 10% of my prescription cost

gee!! it is getting so complicated

guirijohn

So how is a UK tourist supposed to know what a Spanish pensioner would have to pay? Before visiting any EEA country must we investigate the up to date treatment of resident pensioners?

More votes for UKIP coming I suspect.

tebo53

Can you tell me which other forum that is please?

I have searched high and low for definite confirmation of that.

lynnxa

not the forum, but the link they posted there

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...-retirees.aspx

snikpoh

... which was also posted on another forum (as you know!)!

As Lynn says, the original info. is on the nhs website

lynnxa

well of course - but it's not quite the done thing to link to another forum

Horlics

I'm confused. Why would a UK tourist want to know what a Spanish pensioner would have to pay?

Do you mean a Spanish pensioner in Spain, or a Spanish pensioner in the UK?

If the former, who cares? If the latter, who cares apart from the NHS rep dealing with them?

Sorry, I just really am missing the point I think.

guirijohn

I simply meant that a UK tourist, seeking treatment in a Spanish hospital, would not know how much of the cost he must bear unless he knows how much a Spanish resident would have to pay, in Spain, for that same treatment.

Not the end of the world, but complicated and likely to be costly to administer.

Horlics

Ah I see now.

But the new rules don't change a thing for a a UK tourist in Spain. They remain covered by the EHIC.

snikpoh

Yes, but only to the same level as a Spanish resident - and what's that.

As always, it pays to have private, holiday insurance as well.

Horlics

Well I have seen comments here recently saying that Spain invests more per head in its health service than the UK does, and other comments about the ways in which the Spanish system is better than in the UK.

Whether any of it is true or not I have no idea and the short answer to your question "what is that" is, I don't know. Do you?

snikpoh

Nope, haven't a clue.

As a resident who can't get state health care (don't even ask) it doesn't apply to me or my family.

Horlics

I see you're in Valencia. Did you see the recent posts about how you can buy into the state system for around 60 Euros per month?

I know you said you prefer private, but if the difference is about 500 Euros a month, that might be enough to swing you back to the state. It would for me!