Hornets_Nest

Like many people I am still hoping for a reverse of Brexit - but that is looking less likely.

I was just wondering what the impact on healthcare will be for UK passport holders - both those already in Spain (who I assume will be OK) and those moving there post Brexit. It will also be different for those below and above state retirement age.

Much has been talked about the UK following the Norway model - how do Norwegians living in Spain access healthcare??

The flip side is how EU nationals access healthcare in the UK and I am hoping for some kind of reciprocal arrangement.

rspltd

At the moment the British Government pays Spain just under €3000 a year for each British pensioner registered as living in Spain. People who aren't pensioners receive the same as the Spanish I.e. if you don't pay in you don't get out! (you can be a dependant upon someone else) Different countries in the EU have different arrangements. I suspect the energies of the Government will be focussed on achieving the best deal for the country in the first place and expats will be a lesser consideration initially. According to reports the Spanish communities are concerned as to how much money they are going to lose as the money is paid whether health care is taken up or not.

cricketman

Just a note to say that Brexit has not happened yet. There is a long way to go before Britain leaves the EU

If I was to have a bet, I would bet that actually Britain will not leave the EU

In any case, nobody knows what the relationship between Spain and UK will become like if Britain did leave - there is no precedent

If you really want to come to Spain, just do it anyway

spainrico

Well the key points are that access to UK healthcare is based on being resident in UK, whilst in Spain it is based on contributions - either working and paying in, paying in voluntarily or of course (currently) UK paying for the UK pensioners.

So yes it will be interesting to see if the UK decides to 'dump' 100,000's of UK pensioners and leave them without healthcare.

Also of course Brits get access to EU healthcare via the EHIC when they are travelling one assumes that will disappear.

Seems like lose lose to me but hey that's what Leave voters voted for.

cricketman

If Britain left the EU then yes I would bet that all UK pensioners in Spain would lose the right to free healthcare, and the EHIC card would become invalid

But I think the point is that everything is all in the air, and is likely to be so for several years, so best if people get on with their lives and do what they want to do

spainrico

Yes agree cricketman, but I guess some people made plans and decisions on current system and health and money worries might prevail.

But in the meantime it is important to remember that nothing changes and a week is a long time in politics!

Fred James

For that to happen, the UK would have to stop paying the €3500pa payment to Spain for the UK pensioners - leaving the EU only means that they are no longer required to do so.

They can easily agree to continue the current reciprocal arrangement with Spain.

So, if the healthcare is removed, it will be as a direct result of the UK withdrawing it, rather than it being an action by the EU.

The EHIC is a different matter as the funding for that is very different.

Blass

Wouldn't people who loose the free healthcare just move to convenio especial and maybe the UK Government come to a decision on whether to make a contribution towards it

Fred James

It would cost a pensioner couple €4000pa plus the cost of any drugs.

A lot of pensioners would not be able to afford that.

Blass

hence the comment of the contribution I worked it out at €3,768 pa has it gone up then ?

€60 under 65
€157 over 65

snikpoh

... which would be crazy!

The majority voted to leave yet the 'Government' decide not to. I suspect there would be uproar if the 'elite' decided to ignore the people.

cricketman

It will be sold to the electorate in a face-saving way

Boris has stood down as Tory Leader candidate and Farage has resigned

The un-doing of the Brexit vote is already well underway

Blass

agree it would cause all kind of problems on future votes on general elections etc etc. I think people don't think things through when they say lets not leave or lets have another vote.

Can you imagine the voting turnout in future if the Government decided to ignore the uk referendum.

Hornets_Nest

I hope you are right but listening to the main candidates for the Tory leadership does not give me much confidence. Brexit campaigner seem to be getting very upset with Remain campaigners for continuing to protest - I wonder why.

bobd22

Farage's resignations tend to mean very little maybe this time he has his eye on a better earner! As for the Brexit people being very anti any protest from the remainers that is very true. Of course had Brexit lost they would have simply accepted such a narrow majority quietly! I think not. I am sure many would wish to just ignore the vote and remain but don't see that happening, then you would see protests and given some of the right wing elements not as peaceful as the remain march last weekend.