1sexsmith

Just been reported that if there is a no deal then the UK will not contribute to Spain for healthcare of retired UK nationals. That is not good news and not quite what the government were saying previously

snikpoh

Do you have a link to this please as I don't see how it can possibly be true. I didn't think it was anything to do with being in the EU!

Assanah

It has something to do with the EU. Freedom of movement wouldn't be possible without secured access to health care:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...no-deal-brexit

snikpoh

Project Fear part II alive and kicking!

cathyg

Shanorme

From the UK Government's website regarding healthcare in Spain:

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/hea...care-in-spain/

bobd22

Rather late in the day to actually announce the truth re this! However what will be will be. Had the UK government not added ,6 months to my pension age I would be able to get an S1 now at 65 but as it is now I have to wait untill July to receive state pension , call me Mr lucky

1sexsmith

It does appear to be true however as with everything about the no deal withdrawal it really means the opposite in that lots a small deals are going to have to be arranged after Brexit!!. So as the article does say the UK could arrange a bilateral agreement with Spain which is cheaper for the NHS. However Spain have made it clear that any deal has to be reciprocated for Spanish nationals in UK and after the government announced its new immigration plan limiting people to 3 years I can't see Spain being that happy.

snikpoh

But that's my point - it's pure scaremongering:-

... IF we leave with no deal

.... we MAY not be entitled to an S1

No one knows

Hope for the best, plan for the worst!

bobd22

That's all one can do.
Per the Guardian article on this it states that the UK pay Spain around €3500 per pensioner, Ireland is paid around €7500 per pensioner and the UK claims from other EU countries €5000 per pensioner.
​​​​​​

Fred James

It's unlikely to change for people already covered by the S1 reciprocal arrangement but after a no deal Brexit the S1 route may not be available to new applicants unless a new bilateral agreement covers it.

spainrico

British Embassy update on UK nationals' healthcare in Spain (issued this afternoon)

You may well have seen the below news story. It has triggered some reactions, so wanted to try and offer some reassurance where we can and to add some Spain-specific information.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/n...o-deal-eu-exit

An Embassy spokesperson said: “It is a priority for the UK’s Department of Health, and for the British Embassy in Madrid, to ensure UK nationals living or working in the EU can continue to access the healthcare they need as we exit the EU.

We are working closely with Spain to make sure patients can continue to access healthcare, whatever the outcome. The Spanish government has already announced that it is planning contingency measures to guarantee healthcare provisions to UK nationals living in Spain starting on the date of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU if there is no agreement, on a reciprocal basis.”

As background:

• Spain has already announced legislation which protects the healthcare arrangements of UK nationals subject to a reciprocal agreement.
• Spain is bringing forward a law giving the Spanish President the power to guarantee British nationals access to healthcare under the current system in the event of a no deal – providing there’s a reciprocal agreement based on current access. For more information on Spain’s Brexit contingency measures, including on healthcare, please see La Moncloa. Citizens [Brexit/How to get ready]
• For the latest information including on moving to and living in Spain, including EU Exit and healthcare, please highlight the www.gov.uk/living-in-spain webpage, and advise your readers to sign up for alerts.

​​​​​​​Ends.

1sexsmith

Yes but what's reciprocal ? What will Spanish nationals not working or retired ( God know why!) get in UK?. Already we have seen the UK announcing quite stringent immigration conditions on EU citizens post Brexit. Can we really trust May when she says things?

bobd22

You can't trust any politicians let's face it. The article above says sign up for Brexit yougov updates, I have been signed up to them the last 18 months and only heard anything re health care in the case of no deal around the time this post started! So hardly giving us advance notice of situation. The reciprocal agreement if it comes off shouldnt really be an issue but yes it does not seem UK is really going out of their way to make it easy for UK citizens re this settled status. Issue here comes for those of us not yet on an S1 and indeed those like me who have tried to circumnavigate this fiasco by obtaining residency pre 29 March but with partners/wives that due to pension age changes are unable to themselves get residency until after Brexit date due to having to work on. If I had my S1 on my 65 birthday that wouldn't be an issue as I would have the S1 well before March 29 and my wife when she could join me would get it as a dependent. However my 65 birthday falls one day the wrong side of the cut off date to get state pension at 65 so I have to wait until July for pension and of course S1 which is currently wrong side of Brexit date. One has to try and stay positive but that is very difficult the way this is going, we are mere pawns in this political farce.

Fred James