Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

Yes, University fees are going up 50% but they are only €1000/pa at the moment. Somewhat less than the UK.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

yes, I saw that on the news this morning - a huge % increase to be fair - but I also can't help comparing them to uni fees in the UK & keeping my fingers crossed that my dds will want to stay here for uni :fingerscrossed:

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

Latest news on this subject. The Spanish authorities will be checking if you are actually entilted for health cover whilst living in Spian.
News in Spanish.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

It is ok. having cheaper than the UK University fees but today that fool Osborne has committed another 10 billion to the bail out fund. UK is in a mess too and tightening it's belt why should it have to subsidise the free spending club med countries. Spain has already been helped by the back door on bond buying.

America and Canada have declined to top it up, good for them. I thought the IMF was to help third world developing countries not European countries that have spent like crazy.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

No surprise there then Osborne and Cameron talk tough but then role over like a poodle.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

I try and keep up with what is happening in Spain but more often than not, I do not have a clue. So what other price rises are on the horizon? Just noticed today that gas bottle has gone down to 13.55 euros.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

I had written a lengthy reply but for the second time this week wiped it out by accident maybe my machine is telling me something.
Thing about these charges you can't complain if they are charging their own pensioners after all as has been said once pensionable UK pays for you to be treated the same as spanish pensioner. However that article re checking entitlement I may be reading it wrong but if they are saying they don't want none Spanish to get health care? lets face it over years many people have bought and retired to Spain on the basis of the health care, the spanish Government were happy to take the tax on sales on this premise. As for the prescription charges and level of income affecting how much one pays, how do they assess income from say a married couple husband as say £18000 pension wife has no pension? Does the rule re free health care for partner once one of the couple reaches pensionable age still stand? I know it is still work in progress but could be awkward.
To me it seems as though the Spanish are now doing the blame it on the foreigners card as I said in a previous post this is a very dangerous route to go down for Europe, but countries now seem to be turning on each other.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

The problem is that when Spain brought in the new residency rules nearly 10 years ago they had the option to continue to insist that EU foreigners wishing to become resident had to prove that they had sufficient income to support their life in Spain and also adequate healthcare provision.

When we became resident prior to this, we had to have private medical insurance and proof of income.

As I said, that all went out the windows 10 years or so ago and when the new EU rules came in about 4 years ago (you know - the nasty green document) Spain still had the opportunity, within the new rules, to impose those conditions. It again chose not to do so.

What the government is now doing is blaming the other side for not imposing those conditions. It may be possible to reimpose them but I doubt that they could do that retrospectively to anyone who now had the right of residence under the old rules.

If they do introduce it, it will cetainly be a question of bolting the stable door as very few peple are now coming to Spain - apart from pensioners and of course they automatically have health cover under the reciprocal E121/S1 process.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

Valencia infamously managed to change the rules after for years advertising 'come to live in Valencia - free healthcare for all' - which of course left early retirees who couldn't afford private healthcare without cover

those of us living & working here (& paying into the system) would surely continue to be covered on the same basis as a Spanish citizen

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

I would think that is a certainty and so will UK pensioners who have joined the system via the E121/S1

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

Fred thanks for the explanation I can see the point you are making and as I said so long as the S1 system for retirees stays the fact that they would have to pay something for prescriptions is fair as it would apply the same for Spanish pensioners. However along with that it is the difficulty of defining income in the circumstances I outlined. By the way I have no problem with a requirement that you should be able to provide fully for yourself and see that as sensible. However this sort of talk and sniping remarks about foreigners all be it from member EU states in my opinion just causes problems between natural citizens and those that abide lawfully by EU rules and move to Spain without burdening the country in any way.

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

Adopting an "anti-foreigner" stance is a typical tactic from a right-wing Government looking to tap into populist opinion and deflect attention away from their own murky financial affairs and the fact that they and their "fat cat" cronies won't be suffering during this recession like the jobless and homeless are. If it carries on, I wonder how supportive all the expat OAPs who were clamouring for the downfall of Zapatero and the PSOE are going to be?

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

If we had to start to pay for all of my OH´s prescriptions we would be in queer street. Last week I had to buy some of his dressings because they have been cut from the list of what the doctor can prescribe and spent 100 euro´s and that is only part of his needs. We already spend at least 25 euros a week on additional items to improve on what is available. The vast majority of his needs are due to surgical mishaps so this would be doubly insulting.

Rosemary

Rosemary

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

Well, less than England, considerably more than Scotland. I wouldn't think there is a huge difference in what it cost to put someone through university in either of those countries, but they choose to fund it completely differently. England is more self financing, Scotland's is free and Spain's heavily subsidised. 30% of Spanish students fail their courses, and seemingly they only ever complete around 60% of the modules they enroll for. The idea is that they only take modules (créditos) that they have some hope of passing. Plus there are loads that do resits year after year, the idea is that they pay for it instead of the government picking up the tab. (que la subida de tasas se llevarán a cabo para que paguen más «los que van repitiendo año tras año».) All this failure is costing the government €3,000 million, affordable in the times of plenty but no surprises that they have cranked up the charges. I'm sure we'll all have our idea of which is the best system, probably if you have a few kids reaching uni age, Scotland would seem the best bet!;)
http://www.abc.es/20120421/sociedad/...204211305.html

Re: Pensioners to pay for prescriptions
 

I understand that a certain amount is paid to Spain for each UK pensioner that is receiving health care legitimately in Spain and the same is applied for Spanish pensioners living in the UK.