THINKING OF MOVING TO SPAIN, AT LONG LAST

Can anyone tell me what the health service is like, ie general gp's and how easy it is to get apppointments.  Or is it better  to take out private health cover with someone like Sanitas, or perhaps a better company could be recommended.  Any idea of price for 2 adults would be helpful.  Many thanx.

It would, I think, depend where you are moving to.

However, our GP is excellent and there is never a long waiting period to see her. We can book appointments online and there has always been, for me, an appointment available the following day. If it's urgent, you can get an appointment the same day but it's a sit and wait and can be some time if there are lots of other people there.

I had the misfortune of being admitted to hospital in Torrevieja just after Christmas with severe abdominal pains. The GP sent me to A&E and I was seen by a triage nurse in a couple of minutes and ushered through to a doctor a few minutes later. Unfortunately, I have gallstones and they were causing my liver to fail. I was admitted and the rooms are fantastic. Individual rooms with en suite and they even provide towels. The nursing staff, doctors and ancillaries were fantastic. I was on several drips for feeding and painkillers for over a week and the place was spotless, The cleaner came round 3 times a day and the nurses were always there if needed.

The room had a pull out bed if my husband wanted to stay overnight (no rigid visiting hours and a visitor can stay 24 hours if they want) plus a TV and free WiFi. Some have said the nurses won't do anything like clean you or help dress you. True, the nurses are medical staff but they did help me with dressing (awkward with three drips in) and washing and a nursing assistant came in when I was violently sick one morning and, along with a medical student, cleaned me up.

The doctors visited every day and kept me up to date. After a week of flushing out my liver was back to normal and now I'm booked in for an endoscopy next week to remove the stone which is actually in my bile duct. 

If you are moving over and under pensionable age you need to think about healthcare provision. If you intend to live here permanently you will need to take out what we call residency and you need to prove you have medical cover either state paid by your home country (pensioners, under 18, registered disabled and pregnant ladies get free cover with a state issued S1 form) or private medical cover for at least the first year. If you have any existing medical conditions the private insurance may be prohibitive if you can get it at all.

If you're just visiting you can use your EHIC (at the moment) for full cover including existing conditions (to be used for emergencies but that covers a multitude, such as diabetic treatment, INR, regular checks if you have a heart problem and asthma treatment plus lots of other things. It won't cover repatriation or ongoing treatment for a medical condition unless that is exacerbated during your stay). It also won't cover the cost of medication.

If you are going to work then you need to get a job with a proper contract which will provide you with medical cover on the basis of your social security payments and this will cover everyone in your household.

Of course, if you are from UK this  may all change after March when we leave the EU. Then again, nothing may change at all but nobody, at the moment, knows exactly what will happen especially to people taking out residency after the UK leaves or, indeed, if you will be allowed to take out residency without proving a healthy financial situation and having private health care. A bit of a wait and see situation, I'm afraid.

Still, I've  been here over 10 years now and find the medical treatment second to none. I waited 8 years in UK with chronic earache and only got given ear drops by my GP and never saw a specialist. Here my GP made me an appointment with a specialist within a week and I got excellent service.

Another point is not all doctors/nurses etc speak English. Even if they do, some won't because of the  possibility of making a mistake so many expect you take an interpreter (at your cost) with you. I'm lucky in that my husband speaks good Spanish and always comes with me. My family doctor will speak a little English but is reluctant to do so. Both specialists I've  seen at the hospital spoke excellent English as did the three general doctors there (two medics and a student). Most of the nurses spoke English very well and the rest got by on sign language as did the catering and cleaning staff (I was on a liquid only diet for a week which was horrible, sort of greasy consomme every main mail and a cup of weak tea with no milk plus apple juice for breakfast. Hubby would bring me a flask of Oxo or thin tomato soup to keep me going. One catering staff saw I hadn't been eating the consomme and brought me a bowl of home made chicken broth in but told me not to tell anyone. It was still liquid, though).

All in all, there will be a lot to think about before you make a move over. Healthcare is just one of them but I would highly recommend the service we have in this area.

I can confirm the state run medical and clinical treatment in Spain is excellent. A major difference however to the UK and France in my experience is the GP service. It usually is very limited to referrals and prescriptions.

In Spain the medical provision like most things is regionally based. That means some regions fare better than others depending on the funding from Madrid.

If medical care is a major consideration for you I recommend you do some research into which region provides the best state care.

Of course private medical insurance usually guarantees excellence but not always and at a considerable cost.

You might want to look into the  approved  Residents   scheme in Spain....  apparently  you need a income of approximately €8,000 per year...per adult before being accepted..   and in the avent of a no trade deal senario with the EU ..you will need a Private Health care plan in place even if you are a OAP..this is only what I have read but I must say it does amaz me how many people make such a life changing decision like moving to another country without knowing the basics ...I am sure someone on hear will give you the exact amount of income you will require for residents status.

Sometimes in Spain it is difficult to know the basics. As far as I am aware there is no set or laid down income by the government. It seems to be made up by each province on a daily basis dependant on the mood of residence officer. Of course I may be wrong, so could some well informed member post the official link (not some Mickey Mouse estate agent etc link) of what this secret residence qualifying income is.

As for healthcare you will need to research the new Monty Python law, visit https://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/30942/healthcare-in-spain-free-and-universal-to-all-residents-legal-or-not

And https://www.citizensadvice.org.es/faq/new-universal-healthcare-law-july-27-2018-faqs/

Best of luck.

Awkward, isn't it  @Kavanagh? There are many solicitors' sites around saying things like a minimum of 600 euro or 800 euro or whatever per month per person for EU citizens but I can't find any official government website that states that.

There are sites saying you must meet the minimum wage standards and there is a website, updated regularly, giving the minimum wage but no official site saying that is the case.

There is a Spanish government website for minimum income for non-EU citizens coming to live (or visit) in Spain and the site is http://Income Requirement and that states:

In order to substantiate economic means, the provisions of Order PRE/1282/2007, of 10 May, on economic means, shall be taken into account, which provides that foreigners must demonstrate that they have sufficient means of support available in order to enter Spain. The minimum amount that must be substantiated is € 90 per person per day, with a minimum of € 810 or its legal equivalent in foreign currency 

Which means a non-EU citizen must show about €32k a year. I can't find an equivalent site for EU citizens, though, which is a bit confusing when trying to see what the Police request when taking out residency.

Abaco Asesores are one that states a minimum of €600 per person per month but they don't link to any official site that states this. There's also the confusion that some (not all) people are asked to show a minimum balance in their account as well plus showing the money has been paid into a Spanish bank for the last 3 months but, again, no official link stating this is the case.

You're probably right, it depends on the mood of the bloke at the National Police station on the day you attend.

And @windtalker, I think you're being unfair on @pattyann. You said it does amaz me how many people make such a life changing decision like moving to another country without knowing the basics when surely that is exactly what she is doing, trying to find out the basics while considering her move?

Plus I'm glad to see you actually know Brits won't have their healthcare costs covered after March and will have to take out private insurance when all the indications (from UK and the EU) say the opposite.

The UK governments published plans post Brexit to allow EU citizens to enter the UK for work purposes sets a minimum income of £30k per annum. So it is unsurprising the Spanish government have followed with reciprocal rules. I expect these basic income requirements to be equally enforced across Europe if the UK sticks to setting itself these controls.

Brexit will finally end the days of Brits living in Spain under the radar on shoestrings.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/19/the-post-brexit-immigration-plans-at-a-glance

But mickyfinn, I am not arguing with what you say but everything always seems to be as clear as mud and a secret. Where is the official government figure that a non EU national needs to prove in income, wealth or healthcare to get residency without looking at the best guess joke websites from estate agents and lawyers who just make it up to punt for business.

Is it FA, a shilling, a million € or a bung on the day?

Sorry, my previous link didn't work.

Try this one

And the decree it relates to is here Income Requirements

You then have to find the Gross Interprofessional Salary  and take 90% of that to get the income required for a non EU citizen to come to Spain. I can only find the average salary, not the one referred to but it should give you somewhere to start as you want the "official" requirements which those links are.

Mariedav

Where does this non Spanish official government site state income wealth requrements status for residency. Does this site process residency applications or is it just another site with adverts to make money? 

Are you reading this correctly? A site with adverts to make money?
The site is a Spanish Government site or are you not reading it correctly?
I thought the clue for the first link would be in the top left where it says Gobierno de Espana followed by Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, ie the Spanish Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Are you getting the right link? The second link merely states the name of the order that lays down the rules.

Sorry Mariedav maybe I am thick. What is the figure to prove per person in either € or £ or Yen at residency application? This is not a trick question.

So you don't like the bit that says The minimum amount that must be substantiated is € 90 per person per day, with a minimum of € 810 or its legal equivalent in foreign currency.

And as you obviously don't like doing your own research and looking up the order then here it is for you:

(Another official government site, by the way)

Agencia Estatal Boletin Oficial

And under Economic Resources this official government document says:

Said amount will be, in any case, a minimum that represents 90% of the minimum gross interprofessional salary in force at any given moment or its legal equivalent in foreign currency per person, regardless of the expected stay.

Now that was an edict dated 2007 so the amount will have increased since then.

If I can find these things then I'm sure you can. However, should you wish me to carry out more research on your behalf then my fee is €120 per hour and double on the weekends.

I'm pretty sure that, if this amount is laid down in those official government documents, the people at the National Police station will have them to hand and updated as necessary so they will know what the requirement is.

Thank you Mariedav please send me your invoice. I think these figures relate to entry into Spain and not residency application but could be the same although I do not want to split hairs with you. I now understand the € 90 per person per day but don’t quite get the minimum of € 810, is that per hour, week, month or year. Also what is ‘’ gross interprofessional salary’’ where is that published by the government? Never heard such a gobbledegook term.

Those figures tally with an American who was on this site last year and quoted similar figures for taking out residency with an income of over $30,000 a year. The only difference was that he had to renew his residency every 5 years and still show that he had the required income. It also says something about regardless of how long you stay.

The €810 refers to the minimum you must have even if just coming for a week. I imagine that would only work for those countries who need a visa to enter Spain for any reason and not those who can come visa free for up to 90 days and not for those from, say, the USA and others where they enter visa free for 90 days. Over that and they have to apply for a long stay visa with proof of income.

http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/SANFRANCISCO/en/ConsularServices/Documents/visas/RetirementVisa.pdf

This link is a pdf with most things the OP needs to know about third country visa applications for residency retirement in Spain. It relates to Americans but Brits will be third country nationals after Brexit and this April if there is no deal. 

Be sure if Britain does not reach a deal with the EU or extend article 50 from April the minimum income levels stated on here by mariedav will apply.