pain-in-spain

Hi, I am still here in Barcelona with continued plans to move back to London. I and my partner are residents, moved her 10 years ago and own our flat (which we desperately want to sell or rent). We have had sanitary cards since day one and have used the free health system just like a Spanish person would do in our country. I have supported us (my partner is an artist) by working on and off in the last decade, sometimes with legal jobs but mostly cash because it was all I could find. I have had the right to unemployment benefit after losing my legal contracts but this only lasted 6 months and then I had to fund us with our savings. I have read today about the new health reform which came into plan today and rather worryingly it seems that all expats (wherever they come from) will have their health cards (the blue one) taken away as no free health will be given from this point onwards. Unless an expat, or Spanish national even has private health, is self employed or in a job paying their SS contributions, they will not be treated any more. Those claiming unemployment benefit will not be treated either if their payments have run out, which from what I can see is a few million people! I haven't tried to see my doctor lately but I am now worried I will be turned away if I need treatment, both myself and my partner have had healthcare and have chronic (but not serious) conditions so we will definitely need to continue with this before we can move. It seems we are stuck whichever way we look as I have also read that as returning expats to the UK we will also not be treated until we prove we are back for good, it really seems as if Europe is well and truly finished and being a "poor" immigrant from outside Europe is more favourable!! Anyone else know about this health reform and how it will affect people like us, much appreciated!

Countryboy1

When the Brits were buying houses over here, we were 'welcomed' with open arms.
How things change eh?

lynnxa

if your payments have run out you (apparently) still have right to healthcare - INEM (or whatever they are called now ) should give you a form SOLICITUD DE RECONOCIMIENTO DEL DERECHO A LA ASISTENCIA SANITARIA DE LA SEGURIDAD SOCIAL SOLICITUD DE RECONOCIMIENTO DEL DERECHO A LA ASISTENCIA SANITARIA DE LA SEGURIDAD SOCIAL

if they don't then ask for it

info here http://www.seg-social.es/Internet_1/...aria/index.htm

rspltd

I thought this was means tested?

lynnxa

yes, it's for people without any 'means' - which is what the OP was talking about

Rambling Rose

The British system is based on residency not payment so if you move back to the UK permanently you should immediately become eligible.

lynnxa

yes, exactly - but the UK might want you to prove in some way that you intend to stay & actually BE resident - that you aren't just staying for a while to use the health service - cutting all ties such as bank accounts & property would help

Rambling Rose

Having worked as a Dr's receptionist for a while, my experience is that as long as you have a UK address and a National Insurance Number you can get registered with a GP. There are no checks of home ownership, bank accounts or anything. I'm assuming here that the OP is british and has a UK National Insurance number and that the system hasn't changed dramatically in the last 6 years.

You will be asked for details of the UK GP where you were last registered so they can get your medical records. There's no need to say you have been out of the country but even if you did they would not be bothered.

Its quite different with benefits though as they do check your national insurance contributions for those.

Mitzyboy

The National Health Service is a benefit, and one you cannot claim if you are not a permanent resident of the UK

rspltd

I think you'll find that a lot has changed in six years and they do check electoral rolls to establish residency.

Mitzyboy

How can they do that? The electoral rolls are not updated every month so you could have been living in the Uk for 12 months or more and you wouldnt be showing on there

In reality, what they actually ask for is a bank statement or a utility bill and your NI number. I know this from recently because I know someone who did it

pain-in-spain

Yes, I agree. When I bought my flat I paid a lot in taxes and if I am lucky to sell it (it will take a miracle!) I will be paying even more taxes which the government will take happily.

My situation is that in the past I have paid taxes on and off when I've had legal work and been officially claiming benefits. Unlike the UK, here the benefits run out quickly and those without kids are left with nothing at all. I have funded myself for probably 5 years out of the 10 that I've lived here and could not afford to be self employed to enable me to contribute, which I would have loved to have done.

Like many thousands, my benefits ran out and I am not contributing to SS and have been forced to work in the black economy. I cannot afford private health as my meagre earnings are for 2 people and my partner has never worked here.

Even if I can get healthcare, I doubt my partner can as he has never claimed anything here and doesn't have a SS number.

What I don't understand is that we have the blue sanitary card and have been treated at the same medical centre for 10 years and we are both being treated by specialists. Am I to assume that next time I try to see the doctor I will be refused or they will take my card away, I own my property and pay rates and we are on the electoral register. It doesn't make sense. If Spain is in Europe (and I do wonder sometimes) then a Spaniard can go to the UK and get free healthcare with no problems, it needs to be reciprocal surely??

If I am to be here without proper healthcare (free) then this is more reason to leave as soon as possible if I can rent/ sell my flat.

me me

Sorry to say it does not work like that, in the UK health care is residency based, in Spain it is contribution based.

Spain is not the UK and the UK is not Spain.

Health care is one of the many things that has to be considered when moving to Spain.

Instead of people just looking at the advantage on the savings they may make with council tax, the cost of health care should be put in the "extra expenses" column to give a more accurate balance of the cost of living for non-prensioners.

pain-in-spain

I see that countries are very different which is yet another argument to get out of EU and its currency, but that's another topic. I came here due to my Spanish family and have met many expats who have come here for financial reasons. My argument is that if we have been in the system for 10 years, and paid our way in the most part, it should be continued. We have a wonderful doctor and have been treated well, but over the years we have seen more and more immigrants without papers who don't speak a word of Spanish and come from undeveloped countries, there is a huge percentage of Pakistanis here, all of them have huge families which are and will continue to be a huge drain on Europe. I don't have kids and should be congratulated for this, my drain on society is minimal!

I totally understand that the funds have run out and it's true something has to be done urgently but we should be looking to the drain from outside Europe as this is where it's all gone wrong - the UK is probably a shining example of this.

lynnxa

did you look at the link I posted?