Page 2 of 3

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:40 pm
by mondo
gsm84 wrote:Can I get advice on prescription costs In Spain. We are moving to Spain soon to retire and we are both pensioners but have repeat prescription. We intend to take permanent residents status. Do we need private health care or is there the equivalent of nhs in Spain . Thanks in advance



I am over pensionable age.. I get free prescriptions to the tune of 120 euros a month if I had to pay..the doctor will give you a years worth of prescriptions but easily continued with an email to your doctor..
.

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:46 pm
by Martin the artist
If you are a pensioner, you will get free health care - reciprocal agreement with the NHS - and free prescriptions.

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 1:15 pm
by gsm84
Thanks for the information it has helped

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 2:51 pm
by Clareandbri
As the age in uk is 60 for men to get prescriptions would that exempt one who isn't 65 do you know? Also I saw a Dr today and for my tablets I need it cost me almost €12 and only 1 item would anybody know why?

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 4:39 pm
by marcliff
Clareandbri wrote:As the age in uk is 60 for men to get prescriptions would that exempt one who isn't 65 do you know? Also I saw a Dr today and for my tablets I need it cost me almost €12 and only 1 item would anybody know why?



The S1 for transferring healthcare costs are over pensionable age in your own country so it will depend on that (if you work here then it is 65, mine was 65 and my wife's was 60). If you earn over €18,000 a year then you pay 10% of the cost of the prescription up to a maximum of €18 (and some cents) a month. Under €18,000 then prescriptions are free (this is a Valencia Community ruling and does not apply to other regions in Spain where some pensioners will pay 10% regardless of income).
The ruling for this area came in in 2016.

Edited to add: The retirement age for the Spanish is being raised from 65 to 67.

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 4:52 pm
by TonTri
Hi Marcliff

Is the €18000 single or joint income before prescription charges?

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 4:53 pm
by marcliff
TonTri wrote:Hi Marcliff

Is the €18000 single or joint income before prescription charges?



Individually. I pay 10% for the cost of my prescriptions but my wife gets them free.

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 5:05 pm
by TonTri
Cheers Marcliff. Yes it will work that way in our household too. :text-thankyouyellow:

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:31 am
by TonTri
marcliff wrote:4. The EHIC is supposed to be for short term visitors (holiday makers, basically) but Rojales allows you to go on to a temporary cover scheme which will cover you for 3 or 6 months depending on the circumstances which will allow you to visit a GP without going through the EHIC paperwork each time.
5. The rules are the same for everyone including Spanish who haven't paid into the system through social security payments.
6. For those who are in one of the categories listed in 1 then it is probably one of the easiest things you can do here in Spain. The lady who works at Rojales town hall will do it all for you once you have the other documentation necessary. She will issue a temporary card and then you have to go back to collect the permanent one a couple of months later.

Caveat: All this may change after UK withdraws from the EU (or may not).



Sorry to bring this up again, but for the next couple of years our primary residence will be the UK and we will be spending most of the winter in Spain. We both have pre-existing health conditions and my husband starts receiving his state pension in about 3 weeks time.

Can we still apply for an S1 certificate even though Spain isnt our primary residence? About point 4 above, what do we need to get temporary cover from the town hall, we are planning on signing on the Padron but do we need an S1 as well to prove he is of pensionable age and eligible for free prescriptions? We have EHIC cards and hopefully wont need a doctor while we are there but we would like to register with a local surgery for the months we are in Spain.

Re: Health services UK & Spain

PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:49 am
by marcliff
TonTri wrote:

Sorry to bring this up again, but for the next couple of years our primary residence will be the UK and we will be spending most of the winter in Spain. We both have pre-existing health conditions and my husband starts receiving his state pension in about 3 weeks time.

Can we still apply for an S1 certificate even though Spain isnt our primary residence? About point 4 above, what do we need to get temporary cover from the town hall, we are planning on signing on the Padron but do we need an S1 as well to prove he is of pensionable age and eligible for free prescriptions? We have EHIC cards and hopefully wont need a doctor while we are there but we would like to register with a local surgery for the months we are in Spain.



If your primary residence is UK then that is where your healthcare is provided. The S1 transfers your healthcare to Spain (or other country) and you will be removed from the NHS list in UK. Yes, you can use the NHS if you are there on visits but no, you can't transfer your healthcare to Spain unless you are resident.

Rojales is (or was, haven't been for a year) very good to non-residents and allows them to sign on the padron. Many other places won't unless you are a resident in Spain which is really the way the rules are supposed to work. If you sign on the padron at the town hall, the lady under the stairs will issue you with a temporary SIP card so you can use the GP or hospital without showing your EHIC every time.
Unless you are a resident and have completed an initial tax return, the system will not know how much you earn so you have to pay for prescriptions.
Sorry but Spain is a contributory based health system and if you haven't paid in you will not get healthcare. If you use an EHIC then UK pays it for you and, if you have an S1, the UK also pays for it but the S1 bit is only if you are no longer resident in UK.