petew

I am about to phone the DWP but I am curious to know if anyone else has been in my situation. I have a Valencian SIP card (no expiry date) and a UK EHIC card (expires 2016) both obtained on my wife's status as a UK pensioner (she's 63). The process was a pain - it should have been simple but DWP made several **** - ups (e.g.twice they didn't complete their own S1 form properly and each time we had to wait 6 weeks for them to send a new one!). We had to wait ages for the EHIC card.

I will be 65 soon and I have just received a letter in response to my pension application. No problem about the pension, but enclosed is a Form S1 and instructions on how to get a spanish health card. Nowhere do they refer to the fact that I already have a spanish health card and an EHIC.

Can anyone throw any light on this? It looks as though I will probably have to bow to the inevitable and start the whole rigmarole again.

Fred James

At the moment you are eligible for a SIP card as a dependent of your wife. When you reach 65 you are entitled to a S1 and SIP in your own right.

You don't have to do anything but if you were to outlive your wife I understand that you would no longer be covered. You can process your S1 when you receive it or leave it until later.

petew

That's interesting - thank you.

maisymay

Hola I may be wrong but they might be referring to the Spanish equivilent of the EHIC which allows you to have health care in Spain or wherever. If you are a resident of Spain now, you must apply for aTarjeta Sanitaria Europa
TSE this allows expats to recieve medical care in Europe whilst on a visit. Look at this site www.ccbspain com Hope this is helpful.

jdr

Stay as you are till you need to apply yourself (if you ever do)
If you are confused, think what the clerk at SS will be like.

Rosemary

My OH was down as my dependent and when he was 65 we had the relevant paperwork from DWP to apply for the Valencian SIP card. We did not panic to make the change because he was spending so much time in the hospital and we did not want to have any problems. However, as soon as he was home for a few weeks we went to the INSS office and did the deed, no problems, very straightforward, just had to ensure that the clerk was aware that it was a re-register due to being a pensioner in his own right. By the time we managed to get around to it the paperwork from DWP was almost a year old but they did not query it at all. My advice would be to go and get it done when you can so that you do not have any hassles at a later date.

Rosemary

Fred James

If you are working in Spain and paying social security payments then you apply in Spain for a TSE (EHIC). This cannot be used in Spain and if you were entitled to one you would be covered for health care in Spain anyway.

If you are a UK pensioner resident in Spain then you have to apply to the UK for an EHIC and that cannot be used in Spain but again you have full cover in Spain as a UK pensioner (assuming you have been issued with an S1 form by the UK).

If you are a UK resident then you also apply in the UK for an EHIC which can be used in Spain for necessary treatment while on a short visit.

If you are a UK citizen, resident in Spain but not a pensioner and not working you cannot be issued with an TSE/EHIC from any source. Travel insurance or private medical insurance is the only option unless you live in Valencia where there is a special scheme where you can contribute into the system and get health cover.

spainrico

My friend had a similar issue as he had Spanish health cover via his wife who is working in Spain - when he turned 65 he was sent his papers by the DWP and he decided to apply and obtain in his own right his SIP card and an EHIC. In case entitlement via his wife ceased for any reason. Good 'bird in hand' strategy.

I don't understand Maisymay's post and the link does not work. UK pensioners living in Spain as residents are entitled to Spanish healthcare via their UK contributions and will be issued with an EHIC (all paid for by the UK) The EHIC is for use in other EU countries (inc UK) when they are traveling for emergency care, and not in Spain where they would use their SIP card (as it is known in Valencia)

Fred - sorry didn't mean to repeat your post (I had to leave for PC for a few mins) BTW The Valencia scheme for early retirees covers you throughout Spain but does NOT include a card for foreign travel, so insurance is the only option.

petew

I spoke to the DWP department that deals with EHICs and they said that (despite the clear instruction in the DWP letter to me) I do not need to return my (UK issued) EHIC card because it was issued to me as a resident in Spain. It is still valid until expiry in 2016.

Another example of the ambiguity and lack of clarity of the written material sent out by the DWP.

Fred James

Yes, they got it wrong initially.

Email from DWP after I raised it with them..

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding your European Health Insurance card (EHIC).

Please accept my sincere apologies for any confusion caused by the recent letter that accompanied your EHIC.

As you may be aware from the 1 May 2010 changes in European Regulations transferred responsibility for the issuing of your EHIC to the United Kingdom. I can confirm that these changes do not effect your entitlement to receive free NHS treatment whilst in the UK. There is also no need for you to return your EHIC to us.

The letter that you have received is intended for UK residents only and has not yet been updated to reflect the new changes. We are currently working with the Department of Health and hope to amend the letter as soon as possible.

I hope that this addresses your concerns and once again my apologies for any inconvenience caused.

snikpoh

Fred, purely out of interest, how do Spain differentiate between an EHIC which CAN be used in Spain and one which can NOT? Did you mean SHOULD NOT perhaps?

Also, given that various provinces seem to dislike cards from other regions (I once heard that Murcia would not accept a Valencian SIP card), might it not be simpler to use the EHIC card in some circumstances?

petew

Interesting but I don't see how they can state that the letter is intended for UK residents only - it refers in several places to Spain etc. In the line instructing me to "immediately" return my EHIC it refers to "the UK authorities" and the address to return it to ends "England".

Fred James

A UK card issued to a Spanish resident can be identified by the coding on it. That way it will be acceptable for use in the UK as it can be identified as such.

If used in Spain then the Spanish authorities should also be aware that is issued to a Spanish resident and can refuse it.

petew

Regarding the situation in the UK, I used to be under the impression that possession of an EHIC was essential for a UK citizen who is spanish resident and visiting the UK . However while I was waiting to receive my card, I was told by DWP overseas health care that lack of a card was no problem - if I needed treatment in the UK, just contact them and they would check my entitlement and authorize it.

Fred James

Assuming of course that you were entitled to it and that is not a foregone conclusion!