Chiclanagir

I am sure years ago I read in Blevins Living in Spain that if you had a pre-existing condition you could be covered under the British system. Has anyone heard about this? I know if you get disability benefit in the UK you can get it paid out here but would like to find out more about "a pre-existing condition" before I buy private medical insurance.

Fred James

If you qualify for inclusion in the Spanish health system you are covered for everything.

If you are not in the health system you will have to rely on private insurance and pre-existing conditions will not be covered.

poollounger

I may have misunderstood but I think CG was asking if a pre-existing condition would mean that one could still be covered by the British NHS while living in Spain. I think the moral of the tale is to stay a British resident until past retirement age....even if it means buying a tiny studio somewhere and using it as one's address or some such thing.

jdr

I have a form from our local clinic, someone was told by the interpreter that you apparently fill out this form and take your EU healthcard and you can sign on with a doctor for 1 to 12 months, renewable each year.
Am I reading this wrong or has the law regarding healthcard cover changed ?
Top box E
Third box down.

Edit .. had problem with size of pics.

poollounger

JDR I remember on the programme about expats falling foul of the healthcare regs in Spain that was shown a few weeks ago a local minister saying that they were trying to rectify the situation so there was greater parity between Spain and Britain; perhaps this is the result ? Perhaps it's also another way of keeping tabs on expats in the country.

Fred James

JDR, I am not aware of any recent changes to the requirements for health care cover in Andalucia. You either need a social security number (ie you are working), an E121 as a pensioner or E106 for up to 2 years cover.

The forms you have shown are used to sign onto the Andalucian health service or to get temporary cover if you are normally resident outside Andalucia.

I think in either case they will want your Social Security number or the E121/106 forms.

I believe that if you use the E106 you do not get the Tarjeta Sanitaria but you do get the temporary cover.

We went down the E121 route and have the full cards.

There are different rules in other areas, particularly in Valencia and in Murcia where it is easier to get into the system.

That said, they seem to be changing the rules all the time so who knows? It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has managed to get cover without the forms etc.

jdr

I spoke to another woman who goes to the same clinic.
She owns property in UK and Spain and flits back and forward and sometimes stays 4 or 5 months.
The clinic asked how long she was staying, so she told them she came out every oppertunity she has, so the guy said fill out 12 months then next year fill out another form.
She had to show passport and healthcard, now if she attends she just has to show copy of pp and healthcard.
Maybe they are using the healthcard the same as an E106 ?
If you have an up to date healthcard you should qualify for an E106 anyway.

EsuriJohn

Whats pp?

Fred James

When you say "healthcard" do you mean the new EHIC (ex E111)?

I imagine what is happening here is that, as a visitor,you are being put into the system and getting assigned to a doctor.

This is not the same as full health cover as it is supposed to cover emergency treatment. However the rules under the new EHIC seem to be more generous than the old E111. What would be interesting is to see if you were covered if you needed something major like a hip replacement.

As for the E106, I thought that was only issued if you had been paying UK social security payments prior to coming to Spain - and it only covers you for up to 2 years.

jdr

Yes it was the new EHIC.
She fell and hurt her wrist, she was assigned a doctor and saw her a few times while getting treatment, and has since seen her again for something else.
Like you say probably ok for small stuff but not major operations.

I don`t think they will give you an EHIC unless you have paid enough into the UK system, so maybe this is the new way instead of an E106, who knows maybe sometime we will be told of their plans. ;-))

jackytoo

Have a friend who went to the Health Centre at La Cala a few times with the EHIC. He had an ulcer on his leg. After being treat for a few weeks by the GP he was told that he needed to see a consultant but could not refer him because it wasn't urgent.

Fred James

The only requirement for a UK EHIC is that you are a UK resident - it is not related to contributions.

Getting back to the original question about cover for pre-existing conditions, you are covered.

This is what it says on the UK DoH site.

The EHIC is normally valid for three to five years and covers any medical treatment that becomes necessary during your trip, because of either illness or an accident. The card gives access to state-provided medical treatment only, and you'll be treated on the same basis as an 'insured' person living in the country you're visiting. Remember, this might not cover all the things you'd expect to get free of charge from the NHS in the UK. You may have to make a contribution to the cost of your care.

The EHIC also covers any treatment you need for a chronic disease or pre-existing illness. You need to make arrangements in advance for kidney dialysis and oxygen therapy. To arrange for kidney dialysis while you're away, contact your NHS renal unit in the UK before you travel. For limited information on oxygen supply services in the EEA countries and Switzerland, call the Department of Health's Customer Service Centre on 020 7210 4850.

Remember that the EHIC won't cover you if getting medical treatment is the main purpose of your trip. You are advised to take out comprehensive private insurance for visits to all countries, regardless of whether you are covered by your EHIC.

Your EHIC should cover you for routine maternity care while you are away. However, if you are going to an EEA country or Switzerland specifically to have your baby, you will need an E112 form - see the 'Non-emergency treatment section' for more information.

It is a scheme intended for visitors only. If you live outside the UK you cannot apply for one and if you have one and go to live in Spain then it must be returned.

The E106 is only for people who have left the UK to live abroad.

As I said in an earlier post the only "legal" way for a resident (and remember that you become one after 90 days) to get health cover in Spain is if you are working and paying Spanish social security, have a E121 to cover you for 2 years or are a pensioner with a E121.

I am sure it is possible to get away permanently with an EHIC if you try but the hospitals are now groaning under the weight of foreign "tourists" and it may well backfire if they bother to check out your residency status.

As I said earlier, you are OK if you live in Valencia but not in Andalucia.

poollounger

Fred if you can become a resident after 90 days, can you then have residency in both the Uk and Spain if, say, you were to split your time 50/50 ?? Which is the best website for info on these matters??

Chiclanagir

What about sexual discrimination.....if you are a 62 year old male living in Spain you would not be covered. However if you are a 62 year old female living in Spain you would be covered. Discrimination. I have found a policy for operations and hospitilisation which we are going to take out which is very reasonable 750 euros a year for both of us late 50's/early 60's. Someone we heard of had a heart attack and received a bill for 15000 euros from the hospital. Ouch.

EsuriJohn

Hi poollounger,

You certainly can. It is quite complicated since there are different titles and levels of involvement with each state.

1) Domicile is the top and most difficult to change, usually follows that of your father and if you are British very difficult to change (probably because the taxman has a vested interest in you staying British so that he can have the last pennyworth IHT).

2) Tax residency is next and usually follows very defined rules 90 nights for UK and 183 days for for Spain. so in theory you could be Tax resident in both States, however the Double Tax Treaty has a tie break mechanism that puts you in one place or the other for tax purposes. Of course there is an exception and that is if you have a Government Pension (Civil Service, Military and Teaching) you then pay tax on that before receipt to the Government that awarded it. I have recently found there are even exceptions to that last rule.

3) Residency, you now seem to a citizen of Europe and can be resident anywhere and everywhere in European Union countries. The problem for Brits is that we are not in the Schengen Group of countries so we do not have a national ID document and retain our National borders and use passports to travel even within the EU. It follows therefor that SG countries require an extra level of registration and ID from Brits.

Regards,

John.