DENISE WALTERS

Yes I think thats the case Just reqister with a DR

steviedeluxe

It's a great institution, the NHS, but I do wonder if it is ultimately sustainable. Mention has been made of foreigners accessing the NHS without having paid into the system. But any British child gets free health care, and they haven't paid a penny yet. Also, I suspect more than a few expats (not just from Spain...) are thinking of heading back to the UK when age issues arise. Ok, some of them have paid a good 30-40 years into the system already, but many may not - they may have been working abroad or running their own business. Just the possession of a UK passport will get them free treatment. I know some relatives who came back from south Africa to the UK when the violent street crime started there - ok a couple of them were of working age and able to contribute, but others were already retired. At what point do you start charging?

cricketman

The health service in Spain guarentees healthcare for every resident.

You only have to pay if you are under pensionable age and are not paying social security payments.

If this is the case and you are too poor to contribute to the healthcare system than you can say you are destitute (you will need to prove it) so you can claim free healthcare.

The only difference between this one and the NHS is that in Spain you must carry a card that proves you are contributing to the system or are too poor to do so.

agoreira

Agree, but we always get these sort of arguments bandied about, every smoking thread has someone telling us cars pollute etc. Nothing to do with the original thread, but it always happens.

agoreira

And just about to go up nearly another 10% for electricity and nearly 4% for gas.
http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/9140...no/subida/luz/

jackytoo

Unit for unit electricity has been more expensive in Spain over the last few years.

agoreira

At least they will be spending their ill gotten gains in UK if from Bradford, and not lining the Spanish coffers if on the CDS. A big difference. Even if they are buying booze, fags etc, local UK businesses will be benefitting.

steviedeluxe

I wonder how much a care home place costs in Spain?
The Times had an article yesterday on the increasing costs in the UK - it's a massive timebomb waiting to blow up, as the population ages...
Apparently it costs £824 a week to keep a resident in a council-run care home. It costs £445 per week to send a resident to a private care home...

No wonder they try and force people to sell their homes if they go into care. Those figures quickly run up into many 1000s. No way they can pay for that from our council tax or income tax.

JnK

Absoutely 100% with you... it makes my blood boil with all the "tips" we have gotten from expats here about how to basically defraud the Spanish system and seem to look at us like we're dimwits when we admit to paying into the system here, using the healthcare available to us here, registering our campervan here.

JnK

That's because it's a residence-based system ... if you live there, you're treated in A&E. If you're non-resident and aren't registered in the system you can't get all the benefits (although many many expats still are registered, albeit illegally).

Bigger Jim

Apparently one of the problems is that the NHS staff do not like to challenge anyone because it makes them uncomfortable in case they are considered rascist!

Jim

whitelinen

No that is not the case at all.

When taking someone to reception we were handed a form to complete when I asked why didnt they ask the questions and complete the form I was told they were not allowed to, they were also not allowed to comment on the form when the patient lied as to skin colour and ethnicity.

I was told that most Chinese people would registered as white english as did many other non-europeans in fact when we were there I actually witnessed this happening several times.

Bigger Jim

The answer to that is no. You will however get treatment which they may or may not seek to reclaim the cost of. They are unlikely to get it if you are destitute or from a country with no free health service so they probably won't bother.

Jim

entrepinos

My wife works in the local hospital in Sheffield and tells me that the NHS has to supply translators for the non english speakers when they come in for their appointments.
As we are still learning the language, does this facility also exist in Spain if we encounter a problem?

casa del sol

Two wrongs don't make a right, so what if 2% of claimants were scamming would it be worth the government recovering the loss?

Think about it..people spotting benefit fraud creates jobs, people in jobs pay taxes and lowers unemployment.

If you are entitled to it claim it, if you are not don't..that goes for all.

What goes around comes around eventually.