brise

Hi all, sorry if this has been covered on the forum not been able to find anything and the info I am coming across on google etc is not clear! (well not too me, but it could be my age!)

With regard to healthcare in Spain, what rights would we have if any, for state cover or would it be full private cover. We are a couple, hubby due to officially retire in a few yrs and myself quite some time later! I doubt we would be able to find employed work and would therefore live on savings until the pensions kick in. we are trying to weigh up whether it would be beneficial to stay here in France where are 'fully paid up' members to the health system, or move to Spain. Any advice and links to relevant sites would be much appreciated, we have already bought a book recommended to us, but sadly doesn't give much info on the subject. Also, would the situation change once the official retirement age sets in?? Many thanks in advance

Porth

Have sent you a pm. However suggest you visit the HM Consulate web site in Alicante lots of information there.

Please forget your carte vitale does not work in Spain.

missile

You have no right to state health care, other than as a tourist.

I was going to link to the free beer thread, but that post seems to have been deleted?

There are several posts on this subject. Search results > http://britishexpats.com/forum/searc...archid=8001752.

and http://britishexpats.com/forum/spain...h-care-816824/

cliff b

The health care link was an interesting read, well,,,,,,,, until it somehow went to schools??
I think sometimes people on here who are in Spain, and have been there for many years, forget how difficult it is when you are first thinking of moving there.
Also when you are not brilliant on a PC (me) it can be difficult to find previous threads that may well be out of date anyway.

We are considering the move and to us its a minefield because there are so many thing to consider, Health care being a very important one. We are 52.

Our children are adults so that's one less problem for us, if you have young children it's a very brave move that I would not do. I have had a lot of help from this site but as we know the Spanish system is complicated and thing change over time.

We are there next week with plans to get contacts around Costa Tropical, Almunecar area to rent for about 4 months next winter.

In short, if you are not a pensioner you need private health care for longer than 3 months?

I haven't got a problem with that.

People in Spain responding to threads and repeating yourself be patient with us And we do appreciate your help

snikpoh

You will actually need PRIVATE health care for the first year. The EHIC will only cover you ion emergencies and until you are resident (which will be no longer than 3 months).

After a year, you can opt in to the pay scheme which is now running in most areas.

bobd22

I am not sure re this rule re ehic only covering you for 3 months. It does not state anywhere on the NHS web site that this is the case, all it says is for a temporary stay and you must be UK resident. There are people that retain UK residency and travel around Europe for over 3 months, they are entitled to use the EHIC. Not saying it is right but I know people who have the old 5 year residency card who still retain the EHIC who have had hospitalised treatment for serious conditions on their EHIC. As has been said on previous threads the problem is the new rules for signing on the foreigners register for over 3 month stays and the requirement to prove private medical cover etc.

I would be interested if anyone could provide an official link showing that there is a 3 month time limit for travel on the EHIC either for Spain or any of the 28 countries it covers?

I acknowledge of course that the op was initially asking about a permanent stay which of course is different and suitable advice has been given re that.

Porth

Last year we left France where we were fully in the system and spent less than 183 days in Spain. Thought misguidedly that our EU scenario would ensure that communality existed and the drug given to my wife in France would be readily available in Spain - No sorry S1 registered in France not Spain.

Fall-back the nice EHIC card -sorry for short term cover only and for emergency purposes only.

It took the help of the Consulate in Alicante to broach a deal with Valencia Health and a very limited supply of the drug was given then forced back to France when it run out.

We hopefully will be returning in 2015 with the S1 registered to Spain and where if my understanding is correct the same level of treatment will be made available to my wife as applicable to a Spanish national?

However seeing is believing hence our reluctance to commit to Spain when the drug essentially keeps my wife at least stable. There is an argument of staying where you are or going back to the UK. However where does freedom of movement fall in all of this?

snikpoh

I thought it was really quite simple - the government website specifically states that the EHIC is ONLY for temporary cover for UK residents.

The issue is that after 90 days in Spain, you are deemed resident (FACT). Therefore, after 90 days, you don't qualify.



I agree, there are many who break the law and continue using the EHIC and there are (or used to be) places in Spain that wrongly accepted the EHIC. This is all changing, and fast. If you are prepared to risk the possibility of getting a large bill, then carry on breaking the law!

Fred James

As I have pointed out many times, you are only deemed resident after 183 days - the green form is a total red herring - it merely gives you the right to remain in Spain for more than 90 days. It does not make you a resident - FACT.

The key point is that the EHIC is only valid for UK residents and after only 90 days in Spain you are very clearly a still UK resident.

Porth

Fred is please my understanding correct that if a S1 was issued by Newcastle to Spain and it was registered through the system in Spain then we would be entitled to the same level of care as befits a Spanish National. Being indeed both retired and in my case 70 and my wife 67

You will know that last year was difficult for us

best wishes

Fred James

Yes, once the S1 is processed, you become a full member of the Spanish health service.

Porth

thanks Fred

brise

Many thanks everyone for info, I think we will have to think very carefully before we make any firm decisions, but still researching, just in case!

bobd22

Firstly I do not break the law, I merely point out that I know of people who have done this, that is not saying I have done that and I did say " I am not saying it is right".

As Fred says signing the foreigners register neither makes one a Spanish resident or a UK non resident.

Could you define for me what length a temporary stay is? Because the web site doesnt. Certainly I would not deem a 3,4 or 5 month stay permanent.

Yes I know there have been cases where it has been said that people have been refused treatment for various reasons in Spain however I also believe that the EU taken action re this in many cases.

I do not condone or encourage people to break the law claiming non Spanish residency when they are in fact resident, but that is down to people moral values. Again as has been said on previous threads, problem is these more recent rules for signing the foreigners register are pretty much unworkable for a non resident to comply. The authorities won't accept long term holiday insurance as proof of medical cover, having to prove income to stay more than 3 months!. On top of which I believe to prove this income it has to be in a Spanish bank account? OK if non resident homeowner younwill have a Spanish bank account, but who would say rent a place for say a 4 month holiday and open a Spanish bank account? If something is unworkable then it tends leads to non compliance.

One final point re Porths informative comment, the EHIC is not only for emergency treatment (per NHS Website) it can be for routine treatment including childbirth, oxygen and dialisis etc in fact people on dialisis can get holidays with this treatment arranged by the NHS. Obviously the health authorities that Porth dealt with breached the rules set by the EU re the EHIC, does anyone think it is OK for the authorities to breach the rules?

bobd22

There was a recent post on the site re certain areas of Spain those not of state pension age could get state medical cover for around 60 Euros per month, to the same level of cover as a Spanish national. However it didn't cover prescriptions or for travel outside of Spain I.e. trips back to UK. Private cover can be similar price but cover outside Spain, but of course not some pre existing conditions.