Just out of interest, is there no medical screening where by they decide based on your medical history whether to cover you or not even if they charge extra/a premium to cover you for pre existing conditions/previous conditions?

Thank you its reassuring to hear your comments re: Spain, if you don't mind me asking where do you live? Did you have the language when you first went?
Cheers

We have a lot of trouble getting medical coverage, as soon as they hear my husband had 2 aneurysms repaired, they refuse anykind of coverage

I really do think you will get cover on the Spanish State System. If you have a word with the right dept of the DWP in UK, they will be able to tell you what you can expect. If you get State cover then private medocal insurance does not come into in.

Good luck

Thank you very much I will look into it
Cheers

Yes, but not with severe stuff. I had shoulder ops, and they covered those after 12 months, whereas they wouldnt cover my nose () because I had a broken nose repaired!

There are a lot of grey areas re medical coverage in Spain, not least depending on where you will be in Spain.

To my knowledge if you intend leaving the UK for more than 3 months you should notify the UK NHS. As a resident in The Valencia area, after getting your padron and contacting Newcastle re your E121 (if one of you is over 60) you will be sent the necessary documentation to sign on the Spanish health system in that area and will be entitled to full cover, prescriptions etc.

For residents under 60 you would need the form E106 which would have given you similar coverage but I think that in Valencia they are now asking for a monthly contribution for prescriptions. I am not sure whether treatment in hospital for example has been changed.

One other thing that may be of interest is that most antibiotics can be obtained over the counter from the pharmacies

Is that correct (60) or should it be 65?

If the wife is 60, it would apply.

in 1988, when I was 48, I was on Invalidity benefit, I got an E121 and was accepted in the Spanish Health System.

AS for paying. The UK pay somewhere in the region of 4,000 € a `year for each UK national and for each of their dependants, to the Spanish System. That includes dependants who are under retirement age and from outside the EU.


There is some `problem' at the moment with what some Spanish are calling 'Health Tourists' who are allegedly coming to Spain to get treatment, operations etc on their 'E111's.'

The 'problem' is that the countries from where people entitled to treatment under the reciprocal agreements are Billed by the health authority concerned for treatment, operations etc. The charge is paid by the patient's home country, less any charges Spanish people have incurred in that country, but the money is sent to central government in Madrid and not the health authority concerned. Thus for example Andalucia looses out.

In passing, a friend of mine has just received a letter from Newcastle saying that in future his EHC (E 111) will be issued by UK. This is the new system which is coming into force around July this year, we all get the card from our home country not from where we reside.

If the wife is a dependant of a person entitled her age, nationality etc does not matter.

he means if the wife reaches 60 & receives a pension then the husband is treated as dependent before he reaches pensionable age

I try always not to be sexist. (i.e, by not say 'he' when I mean male or female) Here I said 'dependants' thus it applies to male of female claimants/dependants.

But please nope, as I said, the claimant does not necessarily need to of or over retirement age. I used my own case as an example. Qualified at 48 and later added my wife when I married who is well under retirement age.

This subject has been covered at some length previously. It now comes into effect on May 1st and application forms are currently being sent out to all UK holders of E121s.

Unfortunately all current Spanish EHICs expire on or before 28th Feb so an interim card will have to be sought from INSS if travelling in the interim period.

Spot on