NATIONAL health authorities want pensioners earning over €18,000 a year before tax to make a higher contribution to their prescription charges – which were free until just over four years ago.
At present, those earning less than €18,000 pay 10% of their prescriptions up to a maximum of €8.26 a month, whilst anyone whose income ranges from €18,001 to €100,000 a year contributes a maximum of 13% per month.
For the working-age population, prescriptions come in at 10% for those on a gross income of €18,000 or less, and an eye-watering 50% for those earning between €18,001 and €100,000, with no cap on costs – up from 10% prior to autumn 2012.
'Pensioners' does not just mean retirees whose earnings come from their State pot, but also covers those earning a permanent disability, widow's or widower's, family support, or orphan's pension, and the average figure across all of these is around €900.50 a month.
For State retirement pensions only, the average monthly figure is €1,038.93, paid over 14 months – a double packet in summer and at Christmas – and those whose annual pension is €18,000 a year will be taking home a monthly figure of €1,286.
Without a mortgage, this is enough for a lone pensioner to live comfortably and a couple, both earning the same, to live very well, but old age means prescriptions go up in quantity and frequency, eating away into the household budget – plus, with the unemployment crisis, numerous retirees are now supporting their children and even grandchildren out of their pension, often having them living in their homes.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com