Medical cover for the hard of understanding?

That was the problem with the Valencia /Andalucia systems. It discriminated against anyone under retiring age ,Spanish or Foreign ,without an income ,not entitled to unemployment benefit &; without family to claim through. It also refused/disallowed people entitled to claim under the 'extranjeros titular sin recursos '.; The original legislation was introduced to give all Spaniards /resident foreigners access to healthcare , including all the abogados who have been outside of the scheme for years , access. Basically the same as the UK .if you are resident , you have healthcare. The original figures showed that it was hardly worth excluding those outside the system & the paperwork/cost involved denying them ,amounted to the same as the cost of including them. One tenth of one per cent , apparently.

Having started this thread to shed light on heathcare access in Spain, I'm no clearer.

There sems to be many conflicts of fact amongst the contributers (no offence intended).

As a young couple below retirement age looking to settle in Valencia but survive on funds from UK investments whilst qwe continue make UK NI contributions have we any hope of free healthcare out there?

One website seems to suggest it is a simple matter of a few forms -

In any case, the procedure for getting a doctor within the public health care system is as follows (also see health care and insurance in Spain):

Once you get your empadronamiento, you take your form to the local clinic (they’ll tell you where your clinic is at the registration centre for your empadronamiento). You present the form along with your work permit and work contract (if you have those, better that you do, although you won’t be refused) to the desk after waiting the obligatory hour or more where they’ll present you with a shiny new card good for free public health care at your local doctor’s office.

This doctor will usually be provided or assigned to you, although I believe you can try to specify any that you might know in the area. The next time you need to go to the doctor you’ll call the number for your doctor (which you’ll get along with the card) and thus you set up an appointment with them.

In case of emergencies, you can take your card with you to the hospital and should receive free medical attention. I say “should” because I personally haven’t yet had an emergency to verify this. I hope to keep it that way. Let me know what your experience has been in the ExpatTalkback comments below.

Any further thoughts anyone?

Cheers

Dan

In short I belive the answer is no. It does vary by region but here is the British Embassy advice page

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

Guy

Thank you Guy. Regards, Dan

DJW   

                                     quote “Having started this thread to shed light on healthcare access in Spain, I'm no clearer.  There seems to be many conflicts of fact amongst the contributors (no offence intended).”

The more you get to know Spain and the ex-pat community the more you be become aware that there are a lot of lawyers (professional, barrack room, bar room, forum etc) who will jump in with their ideas.

Unfortunately in so many cases, that info is distorted, only partly correct, or wrong.  It would seem that some people never want to admit to not knowing something and thus will tell you something or even anything.

There are also many who read something and misunderstand it or later mis-quote it.  I have had a couple of occasions when I have been discussing something with a friend and they have referred to a letter they read in the newspaper to support their view proving that I was wrong.  Later in the discussion it transpired that they were referring to a letter which I had written, to support their view.    Only in Spain.

The advice I give (and here we go another guy giving advice) is that you ask around and do your home work, Then choose an adviser whom you believe you can trust, and from then on ask only that person for advise.  The more people you ask, professionally or privately the more conflicting info you will get.

Choose your adviser and stick with that person.

But I also wish you good luck, you will probably come to need it no matter who you choose.

Thanks Johnzx,

Yes, it does seem like conflictions of info are the norm, even when dealing with professionals. I have been given advice by the UK NHS, my Spanish solicitor, UK Citizens Advice Bureau, friends already out in Spain and lots of Forum dwellers, still no clearer!

May well have to just go private and take the loss, seems crazy when you have paid into a health system for 20 years.

Thanks to all who have commented in any case.

Dan.

Thre only guiris I know who have free health cover, who are under 65, not in receipt of a long-term UK benefit , don't have a family member who qualifies, and don't pay into social security, have lied about their income.

I assume, PablodeRonda, that you don't know any women between the ages of 60 and 65 who received their UK State Pension at the age of 60!  I have been entitled to free healthcare (fortunately I haven't needed it) since I moved here in June 2008, nine months after my 60th birthday.  

Also, depending on their UK NI contributions, early retirees may be entitled to free healthcare.  Read more here:

http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/pensions-benefits/healthcare/e106/ 

Sue

PabloRonda :

" Thre only guiris I know who have free health cover, who are under 65, not in receipt of a long-term UK benefit , don't have a family member who qualifies, and don't pay into social security, have lied about their income. "

You  don't have to lie in Murcia. They don't ask. As long as you have soc. sec. number & are on padron , you are registered.

Sue - you're right of course, I was just using the situation as it is for males as an example. Sorry.

Gus - lucky people who live in Murcia! Here in Andalucía there is a form that has to be filled in which specifically asks about your financial resources, eg income and savings. The funcionario/a usually fills it in and asks you the questions....so if you answer in the negative when you do have resources, that's lying.