TREVOR MCDONALD PROGRAMME MONDAY 29TH

 

This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/16/2007.

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This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/16/2007.

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What an eye opener that was.  What a disgrace this goverment is. You work and pay all of your life into the system, and at the time you need it most they just crap on you. There is another programme on Friday at 8.00pm (uk) called A place in the Sun Home and Away where a couple choose between Dorset and Alicante. After watching tonights programme, I might reconsider Dorset.

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I know the contents of the Tonight programme came as a ahock to many, but it just goes to show that when taking the biggest decision of your life (to move into another country) you need to look at the negatives as well as the positives. The National Health Service, for all it's faults is still a fantastic resource, the problem is, as shown in the programme, it is taken for granted. What we really should have (especially as we are part of the EU) is a reciprocal agreement with the medical authorities in all countries, after all would you rather cheat, lie and pay out for flights to and from the UK when all you needed to do was go to your local hospital. As one of the guests on the show explained, he, as I would want to, decided that the best way to integrate was to immerse himself in the local culture. Brilliant, but unfortunately not rewarded.

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after watching last nights programme I am more confused than ever about what healthcare I would be entitled to.  I was medically retired from work and am also on incapacity benefit. I am 54 yrs old,  I was told that I would be able to claim all my benefits in Spain and be treated with free healthcare the same as an oap.  Last nights show has put doubts in my mind as to whether I have been given correct info. Who do I go to in order to get the right information before I head off to my place in the sun.

 

Marilyn

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Well going on the information you are automatically covered by the UK for 2 years. Then you automatically get medical care on retirement age - one would have to guess on the official retirement age in the host country ie Spain.

Other than that there are 3 options. You can fly to UK when you need to which will continuouly keep the 2 eyars going.

You can pay 235 euros per month social security payments which then entitles you to the medical cover. I pay this and the whole family is covered under 1 paymetn - it may be reduced for non working people

Private health care!

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This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/16/2007.

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Hi Marilyn 53

Your comments are of great interest to me too.

I am at the stage where my Doctor is saying "no more work". I have heard that to continue getting UK benefits, you should be resident here for 90 dyas or more.

However, one of my residential neighbours in Spain, sucessfully got UK Long Term Sickness benefits, after filling in a form on the internet, providing a letter from the Spanish Doctor and has the benefit paid into her Spanish bank a/c in Euros!

I am totally confused too, so any information you find out, I would be most interested in.

The programme last night, made me think that the best way forward is to cheat. Either don't sign up for Recidencia or fly back to the Uk using a relative's address for treatment.

However, personally, I would want to take the gentleman's stance on the programme, try to intergrate and live the Spanish life as the Spaniards do. But at what price?

What shocks me is that if you come to the UK as an imigrant, they get all the healthcare on the NHS, so as imigrants to Spain, why can't we get the same?

I am not against imigrants, many truly have escaped dangers to their lives in their own countries.

So we emigrate to Spain and walk straight into endangering our lives with no free health cover. There should be a recipricol agreement between the UK and other EU countries to continue our rights to free treatment that we have paid into all our lives. (Or do they "transfer" the funds we have paid to the imigrants?) I think that may be the answer...............

If you can afford it, yes, get private health care in Spain BUT as the programme showed, pre-existing conditions are NOT covered. Very scary.......................

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I think the British government have some explaining to do. How can they justify refusing treatment after a 2 year absence to a former (or current) British citizen who has made contributions throughout their working lives - yet provide free treatment to foreign nationals who enter the UK?

Perhaps the answer would be for us all to lobby our local MP's for an answer to this paradox. Surely if enough people raise this issue at parliamentary level it will force the government to see the injustice of it.

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Well! If you expect this Government (UK) to see the justice an anything that truly benefits those who have paid in all of their lives, you will have a very long wait.  This bunch of gangsters kept in power by the Scots (albeit very nice people) whilst having their own devolved government is the biggest disaster to befall the UK in my 64 1/2 years on this planet and I sincerely hope that many of them end up in jail over the sale of honours.

Having got that off my chest, I thought the programme was rubbish.  They couldn't seem to decide whether they were talking about retired, working or non- working and I still ended up wondering where I stood.  One moment they were talking to a couple clearly the wrong side of 60 and the next saying that they were not entitled to free healthcare after 2 years and little mention was made of residency.

My main reason for wanting to go to Spain is to get away from the Blair/Brown politically correct elite and their barmy army.  My wife's is on health grounds.  We intend alternating roughly 6months in Spain (Winter) and 6 months in the UK.  The point is should we transfer residency to Spain, or keep our UK residency?

We would love to take out private medical insurance, but because of a poor past medical history, the insurance companies won't touch me with a barge-pole.  If I stay for 6 months in Spain will the UK NHS reject me should I fall ill during the summer and similarly, if I fall ill during the winter, without residency will the Spanish do the same, or will each visit count as the first 6 months of the 2 year rule?  It seems as though I have no option.  I cannot take up Spanish residence (and what about property taxes) or the country of my birth that have taken many thousands of pounds off me for many years seems keen to take every opportunity to 'get me off the books'.  I seriously wonder if they aren't secretly pleased to see the back of us.

I agree with so much that has been said in this thread and others and there is a whole web-site that could be created here, maybe I will get in touch with my MP, or maybe stay in the UK and agianst him !

Mike

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Hi Mike in the eyes of the Spanish if you live here for more than 183 days of the calendar year you are resident for tax purposes - I imagine that as long as you propose being in the UK for 6 months and keeping an address there and visit your GP on a regular basis as per normal (and buy him a bottle of Irish at Christmas) then you should still qualify for whatever NHS services you qualify for under the rapidly dwindling benefits and budgets that seem to be handed out by the Westminster Wa?¿&rs (while at the same time sending groups of 50 VIP's on trips to Test Matches and World Cups and voting themselves inflation busting pay rises and expense increases so that they can maintain several houses and luxury cars.  <

There is a GP on one of the other healthcare threads under the handle Bobaol who has given some very useful information and I daresay he may be able to answer your question more constructively - on the basis that they are responsible for their own budgets these days it may be left to the Doctor's discretion but he should be able to inform better.
Rgds

This message was last edited by Smiley on 1/30/2007.

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Hi folks - I saw part of the programme and, as I plan to move out about 7 years before retirement, I guess I now need to budget for private health care.

Whilst I share everyone's disappointment over the lack of free care, I will need to earn a crust for that 7 years and am looking at a Home Care franchise.  This is a British company who are just beginning to set up branches in Spain, targeted at ex-pats.  What does everyone think about the viability of such a venture - I know from the programme that the service is needed but will people actually be able to afford to pay for private Home Care services??

 

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This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/16/2007.

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Hello again all.  Just back from Spain and what a terrible week weather-wise.

Looks like some of these threads are overlapping re the Healthcare in Spain bit.  I didn't see the Trevor Macdonut programme but did read an excellent article in Fridays CB News about Healthcare which I recommend to everyone going to live in Spain.  CB News is available on line.

For those of you in the Comunitat Valencia, which takes in Benidorm, Alicante, Torrevieja etc. STOP WORRYING.  If you live in Spain and are under retirement age, you will get free medical treatment once you have taken out residency.  Your E121 will cover you for the first two years.  Retirement age is 65 for men and 60 for women.  If you live in Murcia, the E121 covers you for two years but you don't get free treatment (unless you are in the working system and paying the Spanish version of National Insurance) until you reach retirement age.  The leader of the Murcia council is trying to correct this and says quote this should be resolved within one year so all residents of Murcia will receive free medical treatment unquote.

I'm sorry but I don't know the situation in the CDS.

If you don't get your E121 from the DWP in UK, the Spanish Health authorities cannot claim your benefits from the NHS in UK.  for JeanSis, you will get free treatment due to the area you live in if you have become a resident.  You will, however, lose your entitlement to free treatment in UK.

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This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/16/2007.

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Actually it is the E106 that you get if you are under UK retirement age and which only lasts 2 years.  And they are ruthless about cutting you off when it runs out.  If you are planning to retire before 65 (or 60 for women) and not fortunate enough to live somewhere where they will cover you, as they do in Valencia, you will not get anything and will need to take out private health insurance.  Be aware that this will not cover the cost of drugs, which is high if you need regular medication.  My husband is diabetic and we spent 6 months arguing the toss with Newcastle but they would not give him an early E121 as you can only get this if you retire early on health grounds.

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So it totally depends on where you live in Spain, by the sound of it.  OK in Catalonia, Valencia and soon Almeria.  Maybe they are moving round the coast in an anit-clockwise direction.

I would have thought that the CDS, with a much longer established ex-pat community, would have had all this sorted out by now. 

You also mention your medication is expensive.  If you get a prescription from a doctor in Spain, don't you get a reduction on the cost as they do on the CB?  Medication cost are reduced quite considerably if you have a prescription. Or is it that you can't get a doctor to take you on in the first place?

Best of luck with the mounting red-tape and beaurocracy encountered.......

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Hi, just been reading all about this programme, not seen it as lived in Spain for nearly three years now and won't have SKY installed.

I think the main point for anyone is to do your HOMEWORK, I did got my E106 sorted and then went on the net to look for Private Health Insurance. There are some very good deals out there and your monthly payment generally covers the whole family. I (unfortuantely) have to work for a living so have a NH card here in Spain. Last year I broke my ankle and spent a few nights in a Malaga hospital after a 2.5hr op to insert a steel pin. I must say that ALL the staff and the food were great and I would have no qualms (although would not prefer to for healths sake) going back into a Spanish NH hospital.

I think sometimes we forget that just because we are British it does not entitle us to everything worldwide, fortunately most Governments are unlike the UK one and don't just give handouts to all. If anyone wants some info on Private Schemes I thought were good send me a PM, I do not work for any of these but I am willing to help anyone who has problems finding decent cover for a decent price.

Oh and getting a Doctor was easier than finding a NH Dentist in the UK and one that speaks English if I'm stuck as well..........

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A post by Rixxy on 30th Jan mentions 235€ per month covering whole family. Do you know if this counts for couples living together. Thanks

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Didn't see the programme but have sen a couple which sound as though the content was the same.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHETHER IT IS ILLEGAL TO SEND PERSCRIPTION DRUGS THROUGH THE POST TO SPAIN.

We are coming to spain for 6 months to Guardamar el Raso and naively thought that we would be covered by the BASIC plastic card from Newcastle if we were taken ill. We have been told that this would cover us for 6 months. IS THIS RIGHT. Is ther another one we should get just in case we need help? We have had to take out 'backpackers issurance' as well from our bank. Apparently when you want to leave the motherland for 6 months at our age(55 and 58, going on 18) you've completely lost your mind. Insurance is not tailored for us. We ended up taking out backpackers insurance because 'only the young leave for that length of time'. We tried the usual suspects for insurance for the older person Age Concern, Help the Aged but they wanted over £500. Although our bank account is supposed to contain overseas travel and cover us for any trip abroad for free it only covers us for a month. we can come back for a day and then cover starts again, ERRRRR.. Anyhow the cover we got was for a reasonable £200 which covers both of us for 183 days.

My parents are in their 80's and are coming to visit whilst we are here. Insurance was a problem for them. Astronmical what some companies wanted to charge. We found out the best one for that age group is The Coventry Building society their insurance department give a very reasonable £250 for 2 for 3 - 4 weeks and that covers somebody who has had a triple bypass and still has some issues with her heart.

We both need tablets everyday, my husband for high blood pressure and myself for pain. We have been told by people who say they have done it to get a yearly  perscription service card, get checked up by your doctor so that he doesn't call you in to discuss your medicines, as ours do nearly every 3 months, before you go, Get three months worth of perscriptions to take with you and then get your family to get another three months perscriptions later and send them out by 2nd class parcel post to you. Does anybody know if it is illegal to send perscription drugs to spain via the post?????? Has anybody else done this. Or has anybody any ideas on the problem.

Waiting to hear thanks.

 

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