Health Care and Medical Insurance in Spain

CLARIFICATION ON FREE HEALTHCARE IN VALENCIA (02/07/08)BRITISH EMBASSY

Following discussions between British Embassy in Madrid and Valencia Healthcare Authorities, some aspects of withdrawal of circular 1/2002 and replacement with new “Ley de Aseguramiento Sanitario”, have been clarified.
Some UK nationals living in Valencia are affected,i.e. early retirees who are not paying Spanish National Insurance contributions.
Main points are:
Anyone will be able to access state-run healthcare by paying a monthly quota. Valencia Healthcare Authorities aim to implement new system by start of 2009. The monthly amount has not been decided, but we are told that it will be ‘reasonable and affordable’. There will be no discrimination against customers with pre-existing conditions.

I would have thought it quite obvious - no more freebies...........

LEY 6/2008, de 2 de junio, de la Generalitat, de Aseguramiento Sanitario del Sistema Sanitario Público de la Comunitat Valenciana. [2008/6867]

This new law came into force the 6th of June 2008
and affects all people in the Valencian autonomy including expats. It defines 4 modes of healthcare.Everyone is entitled to have treatment equally the difference comes in who has to pay for it.
Expats who have an E111,E106 or E121 or are working and contribute to social security in Spain will continue to be covered.
What I am concerned about are the early retirees that have not worked in Spain and do not have any of the E111 E106 or E121 entitlements.I am worried that they will be classified as mode 4 "private" and will have to pay for all the treatment themselves, whereas in the past they were covered under circular 1/2002 from the "conselleria de sanidad".
However if you have little or no means to pay you will be able to claim free treatment.
Does anyone understand this new law yet?

Well done Cliff you were quick off the mark - the health cover has now gone except for pensionersand those working in the system.

“Ley de aseguramiento de sanidad” in VALENCIA

Government Health Warning

Circular 1/2002 from the “conselleria de sanidad” entitles British early retirees resident in the Autonomia de Valencia to free state medical care; it is still current but there is a new law (ley de aseguramiento de sanidad) coming out soon (possibly between May and September2008) which could severely limit the entitlement except for persons with little or no means.

DO NOT ASSUME THAT IN FUTURE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET FREE HEALTH CARE IN VALENCIA

Form E121.
Pensioners are entitlement to Free Health care in Spain by virtue of their form E121.
Men at age 65 and women at age 60 become entitled to a U.K. State pension and free healthcare(If they paid N.I. contributions in the UK) You need to apply for and register an E121 form. In Spain you will then be entitled to state medical care anywhere in Spain.

FORM E106

Citizens who have been working in the UK within the final 2 years before going to Spain will get an E106 form which entitles them to a Spanish state medical cover anywhere in Spain but only for a limited time, up to a max. of 30 months, after leaving the UK.
This form, is issued by the 'Overseas Benefits Dept.Newcastle and should immediately be registered with the INSS. (Spanish Social Security Office). Like the old E111 you present it with a copy, on each occasion you seek health care. Spain can then claim back from the U.K. the cost of the treatment given.

To obtain the letter in Spanish from Newcastle write stating your NI number to:-

Overseas Benefits Department

Tyneview Park,
Newcastle Upon Tyne,
NE 98 1BA
England

Mark the envelope 'Legislative letter – SPAIN.

Entitlement to Free Health care and a SIP medical card -- for British early retirees resident in in the Community of Valencia is covered by Circular1/2002 from the “Conselleria de Sanitat”

You should apply for a “tarjeta sanitaria” ( SIP medical card ) at your nearest medical centre referring to “la extensión de asistencia sanitaria a demanda según la Circular 1/2002”, You will be required to produce a passport , a recently-issued “padrón” certificate, the “legislative letter”, in Spanish, from Newcastle and to complete an application form

They send the application to:-

Direcció Territorial de Sanitat València
Av.Gran Vía Fernando el Católico, 74
46008 - Valencia
Tel.: 96 386 89 00 - Fax: 96 386 89 06


Direcció Territorial de Sanitat Alacant
C/Girona, 26
03001 Alicante
Tel: 965 938022 y 965 938099


Direcció Territorial de sanitat Castelló
Pl.Huerto Sogueros, 12
12001 - Castellón de La Plana
Tel.:96 435 80 00 - Fax 96 423 94 91

Hi. My wife and I are plannining to move to Murcia in the very near future we are the same age but she will reach U.K state pensionable age at 60 years and 9 months whereas I will have to wait until I am 65 years old. I assume that my wife will qualify for free healthcare upon reaching 60 years and 9 months, and I am told that when she qualifies, that I too will be able to claim free healthcare. Can anyone confirm this?

You may find this site very useful.
http://www.ukgovabusesexpats.co.uk. Under health care. I am 55 have been here 4 years and under the agreement have a SIP card and get free healthcare. I pay a part cost for the prescription. You have to get the letter from Newcastle which states you are not entitled to Healthcare in the UK (which you are not if you live in Spain as your main residence) It talks about Valencia but I understand Murcia and other places have adopted the policy.

Hi My name is Sue Warner and I have been an agent for Sanitas on the Costa Del Sol for over 3 years.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Please visit my website and see the page called Cover, this will explain what cover you are entitled to if any.

This is useful, but I would like more clarification, i.e. I haved lived in Spain since November 2000, and was employed with a spanish contract until October 2006. Currently I possess a Spanish ID, and have been receiving unemployment benefit from the social security here in Spain after losing my job through reorganisation. I am on chronic medication for a heart condition, and drugs currently cost me >€50 per month. Questions, if I present the farmacia with my E121 OR 106, can I get best of both worlds, i.e. free drugs, and hospital treatment by virtue of my Spanish ID now that I have turned 60?

In the valencia and Alicante area you can obtain your SIP card by requesting the letter from Newcastle which states that you are no longer entitled to UK healthcare. This you present along with an application for SIP card (which is obtained from the doctors) to the doctors and your SIP card arrives in about two weeks so there is no need for private medical insurance. Everyone has to fill the form in and I think you have to be a resident but not sure. We are residents and I was 52 when we obtained the cards and my husband was 62.

Thank you "summersinspain" for your info. Re your children being covered, do they also live in Spain with you or at their own home(s) or do you mean they are covered when they visit you? Also does this mean you are not covered in the UK National Health if one returns to the UK for treatment? Thanks again.

When we moved to Spain (Nerja in the Malaga province to be precise), my husband was 70 and a UK pensioner making him eligible for free health care in an EU member country. When we applied for our Residencia, and application for a social security card was made at the same time. Apparently the application for residency was sufficient to trigger the social security card. Although I am not a pensioner I am covered by my husband's social security card and so are our children. As a result all our prescriptions and medical treatment are free, and so far the service has been excellent!

If I move to Spain at age 65 do I receive Spanish health treatment and if so what do I have to do (forms etc) to qualify. Also do I still need Private cover and can anyone recommend companies as some will not cover over 65's.
I have found two Property companies that offer deals to over 55's including health facilities but although they look attractive there are restrictions such as they are leases and only the purchase price is returned if you vacate the property. Also under 55's cannot stay there if I am not there. Anyone know of anything offering health facilities with the property without these restrictions?
Many thanks.
Basied

Hi AnnTS,

I am not sure about your Humana coverage but I do know that the medicare will NOT cover you outside of the country. I also am American and married a British citizen and have been living in England (soon to move to Spain) and when I moved here I dropped my medicare deduction on my SS(and received the increase from that on my check each month) as they do not cover me outside the USA. Looks like if I move to Spain once I register as a resident then I will be covered for public medical, and I have heard very good things about that. Check with Humana and I am sure they will advise you.

Great site I have learned a lot prior to us moving to Spain. We hope to move (from England) in the next few months (hopefully by the end of the year). We will be moving to the Costa del Sol area. Probably Torrox Costa area.

Two questions:

1. Any expats from England living in that area or can anyone tell us more about that area?

2. My husband and I are both retired but neither have reached 60 as yet, so have been reading a lot regarding medical. But I do have a question if we register as residence in Spain will our prescriptions be covered also as they are in England?

Again thanks for the great site and look forward to participating.

Caj

My husband and I are moving to Spain - inland andalucia later this year. I am a diabetic and am wondering how I will fare for treatment, can anyone advise me if they have the same condition. Also we are going to apply for E 106 before leaving - what is the procedure for registering with a doctor. There is one in our small village. Do I just walk in and register?