smileygeorge

Hi

Can anyone enlighten me on Convenio Especial purchased through health centres.

We are moving to the Canaries in the summer although I have paid in 41 years national insurance in UK will I be entitled to health care in Spanish hospitals or would I still need to purchase convenio especial. I am older than 55

Many thanks

Sue

lynnxa

the convenio especial is a 'buy in ' scheme for state healthcare

it's available after you have been a registered resident for a year ( & presumably tax resident)

the costs vary & increase with age from around 60€ per person per month

smileygeorge

Many thanks the UK government web site does say it is open to anyone regarding of pre existing conditions.

Do you know when I will be able to get free health care is it on our normal retirement age as I understand it is different in Spain.

Regards Sue

lynnxa

yes that's correct about the pre-existing conditions

as soon as you receive your pension from the UK (at whatever age that is) you will be issued with S1s to access full & 'free' state healthcare here

under current rules

smileygeorge

Hi

Thank you in my case will be 65 and 7 months. So will seek out the convenio especial.

Take care Sue x

LOUISA100

Hi Sue whee in the canaries are you moving to. Im moving to gran canaria in the summer and at moment trying to find out what I will need re insurance as I will not get my uk pension for another 18 months and will not be working when I move xx

smileygeorge

Hi Louisa

Fuerteventura or Lanzarote. I took early retirement with an NHS pension. I am getting married in 3 weeks and my new husband will be retiring in 3 months.

We will be going out in about May to look for properties. I found out about the convenio especial on a UK government website. I would rather know I was covered re health.

Regards

Sue x

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

lynnxa

will your new husband be in receipt of a state pension?

if so, you can be covered for healthcare as his dependant immediately - you would both get 'permanent' S1s

Lynn R

Do please note the point which Lynnxa made, though, that you need to have been registered as being resident in Spain for one full year before you can sign up for the convenio especial.

mikelincs

And, of course, even with that the health care will NOT be free, you will have to pay part of the prescription costs etc.

smileygeorge

No unfortunately not

smileygeorge

Ok thank you

smileygeorge

Hi yes realise that. Thank you x

Lynn R

Something else to be aware of is that if you take out private health insurance to cover your first year, there will be qualifying periods before the company will pay for various kinds of treatment. When we took ours out, emergency treatment and visits to doctors/specialists were covered immediately, for all further forms of treatment the qualifying periods ranged from 3 months to 12 months (although the 12 months applied to obstetric and maternity care, probably not something most early retirees will be worried about!). And even with private insurance, you would need to pay 100% of the cost of any medication you might be prescribed (other than that prescribed during a hospital stay).