Hi Susan,
Have been away and just saw your posts. I have checked the website for PUMA22 and it appears to relate to the Valencia area and what the local government is doing in regards to withdrawing health benefits for non-residents.

Are the people who this affects registered as residents or have not yet registered yet? The site appears to be aimed at non-residents but i?m not sure if this means they are not originally spanish or haven?t applied for residency here.

I am currently searching for the information you requested regarding EU law and will come back to you once i trawl through the many documents.

Basically you are saying that once (in your situation) your 12 month unemployment period expires after being made redundant and presuming you are not working again and therefore not contributing to the system, you will no longer be able to recieve public health care.

To original poster. I would be careful about private insurance as you are coming with a pre existing condition and therefore would be unlikely to be covered by the terms of the insurance. If you are working and from Ireland as stated then you will have no problem. Equally if you are not working set up a business and pay your social security, about 210-220 Euros pcm and then you have cover.

The facts relating to Healthcare are here:

http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/pensions-benefits/healthcare/healthcare-valencia/

Bottom Line

If you are an early retiree and have exhausted your temporary UK cover you will have to pay.

The Valencian government has just given a new option which saves the hassle of setting up a business and effectively gives full cover for the equivalent of around 70-80 Euros per month. However I cannot find the link i was sent about it. Sorry

I think you are referring to the same option as my post but it does not really have anything to do with not setting up a business, the costs are 270? per person per quarter rising to 330? based on age.

Sounds reasonable doesn’t it!