medical insurance/health care

never met you so cant tell how old you look but i do know some people around your age that look so much younger than they are

bigcol wrote:fifty nine!!!!!

dont believe it!!

col x

22 Col, 22!... in my dreams eh? How are you matey?
x

Nectar didn't come back to me, so I have signed up with Sanitas. I paid my first premium on the 28th Feb, was texted my membership number on the 2nd March and received my paperwork, manual and Medical Card today. All very professional.

I now have the joyful task of taking all this to Huescar Medical Centre and trying to expain what it is! I really hope they have other foreign residents that have already done the same.

Caroline

Not long after my last post above, I happened to be in Galera Town Hall. I asked if I had to let Huescar Medical Centre know that I had Private Medical Insurance - they said I didn't.

This week I had to visit my Doctors Surgery in La Alqueria and was asked for my name, by the Nurse. She had never asked before, but wrote this in her book.

I then thought I would check with her about letting Huescar know about my Insurance. She said I should let them know asap!

I popped in to Huescar Medical Centre today, went to the entrance desk and handed in my old form (which had expired Mar 2012) he looked at it and my Sanitas Card - printed out a new form dated until Mar 2014 and said 'see you next year'.

That was easy then!

Caroline

If you are from the EEC, because of changes in legislation you may be entitled to medical cover here in Spain, regardless of age.
If you want to know how, pm me and I will pass om the info. Please include your e mail address or telephone no.

You can also look on the British Embassy Website where it is quite clear

UPDATE

Well, further to Ken's post regarding the new EEC ruling, myself and a friend from Galera decided to try and apply to go onto the Spanish Medical System.

Having gathered all the paperwork as stated on the list from Ken (DWP letters were easy, dealing with the Inland Revenue not so easy!), we went to Huescar Social Security Office.  Everything went smoothly, although they insisted they did not need our 'proof of income' letters - if Granada wanted them, they would write to us.   About an hour later we left with a receipt for the paperwork we had handed over, and were told we should receive a letter from Granada in around a week.

A week later a letter arrived, asking us to return to the Social Security Office with our proof of income letter, which we did.  We then waited for yet another letter which would inform us whether we had been accepted or not. 

This one arrived and was to be taken to Huescar Medical Center.  As I had previously registered my Sanitas Cover there, it took just a few minutes to swap the information over.  I was then given a form, which is now permanent and doesn't need to be renewed each year.   This I have used to visit my local Doctor in La Alqueria.  My friend however had never registered at the Medical Center, so had to do a new application with all the usual paperwork.  


They said our cards should arrive within 3 weeks, so hopefully this week.


One thing to note is that your DWP Legislation letter, also needs to state that you have not been entitled to receive Health Care from the UK before 24th April 2012!  If you have been Resident in Spain and using an EHIC card, this proves that you HAVE been entitled to received Health Care from the UK and could stop this application being successful.  You can try asking the DWP to back date their letter for you, stating that you had forgotten to cancel your EHIC card.  Obviously if you have used your EHIC card for treatment/visits to the Doctors/Nurse in Spain after 24th April 2012, you may find they won't do this for you.


If anyone who isn't too confident with their Spanish would like help visiting the Social Security Office/Medical Center in Huescar, I would be happy to help for a total of 20€ - just PM me.  Remember to get the info sheet from Ken, so you know what paperwork you will need, first!

Caroline

I was on the same search in January this year, after much research I went for Freedom Health Insurance, (silver)
through a brokers called Staysure - I chose this company because you are not tied to a network, you can choose ANY doctor/specialist, and our policy is EUROPE wide.

I thought this would make it easy to find an English speaking doctor if needed closeby as we live in a small town.

I am happy to pass on contact numbers if anyone wants them just PM me

BE AWARE THOUGH - public health doctors in Spain are NOT allowed to also work in the private system while contracted in public service. This means that you may still have some significant travelling to do even if you can choose ANY private doctor/specialist. Not what we were expecting at all.

I am currently in the process of making a claim, and although there seems to be a change in the companies handling the administrative proceedures for Freedom Health Insurance going through, I am hopeful the claim will be quickly processed. I will keep everyone here posted as to how well the process goes.

The policy isn't cheap, but healthcare never is, and as it turns out we did need to get urgent surgery done last week, so it just goes to show you never know what to expect even if you are both healthy.

Hope this helps.

Just as an update and information for you all, a development that may help is that ALL the Autonomous Regions now have the facility to offer NHS cover for non Spanish residents who otherwise would NOT qualify , this will be law by January 2014. It will cost 60 euros per month (per person) for under 65's and rises to 157 euros per month when you hit 65. Well handy for early retirees AND theres no 'pre existing' worries as you get in Private health care. The S1 should kick in when you're 65 as well.
Only downside is that you have to have been a RESIDENT for at least a year before you can apply. So if you are an early retiree, its Private Insurance to get the residency and keep it going for a year OR S1's for up to 2.5 years so you can do a swop when that runs out!
The word is that S1's will NOT be issued in the UK for under 65's after March 2014, so its good news and bad I'm afraid!

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What you have provided is not strictly correct. You are entitled to a medical card under the age of 65 if you fulfil certain criteria. Please speak to an expert if you need medical cover, they can guide you through the exciting paperwork.

Ken, my understanding is that if you were not RESIDENT as of July 2012 last year, you lost the right to do that what you suggested if you were under 65!!!!

Are you now saying that if I became an 'early retiree' at age 56 and applied for residencia say next week I am entitled to a Medical card?, don't forget I will not be working or Autonomo.

PLEASE enlighten me if I am wrong or how I am 'not strictly correct' because that's how I have read the latest Residency rules and the latest Medical stuff as I attached on the link (I didn't write the document) .

Keen to hear!

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The above guidance has been updated to take account of the changes I mentioned, what it doesn't say is:

1.In the case of 'early' retirees, the residual S1 form is proposed to probably drop out of the system on 31st. March 2014 (See p48 of the FIRST Migrant NHS Document in the link below)

2. The discussion/decree document I pasted to my first confirms that in order to qualify for the 60 euro cover, you have to have been Resident for a year, so you will have to have SOME form of cover for 12 months AND to get residency in the first place.

3. There are proposals contained within the latest UK NHS 'Migrant' reform document that are being considered following consultation, that would allow ex pats who have paid at least 7 years contributions into the UK system during their time in the UK to be able to access UK NHS Immediately as if they were UK residents to cover them for any condition, provided they can get back to England of course. (At the moment its only England, but that will probably cover all of the UK if this becomes law) (Think its page 20 of the attached FIRST document)

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I am accepting that the Guidance/Proposals/ Consultations were in fact written by 'experts', so would be interested to hear any comments on this important issue.

If you want the contact details of someone who can guide you through this I am happy to pass on their details. It will cost you for their time ans translation etc. but well worth it when you have the health card. I have helped a lot of people this year get theirs, always with the help of a translator. I have no commercial interest and really don't have the time. Members of the Royal British Legion excepted.

Hi,
My experience is that costs are VERY dependent on age. & what you need.
We have a Europe wide policy - any private doc/specialist (though beware, finding a private doctor - public doctors are not allowed to take private patients - is almost impossible around here.

We have been with Staysure for over a year and they have paid up so far when required.
PM me for more details, or this is my initial contact

Eddie Filsak
Life & Private Medical Insurance Team
Staysure.co.uk Limited

t: 0844 692 8380
e: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

We are just back in rainy UK after some time in the house in Cullar, both in our late (ish) 50's, we have decided to go for the permanent move this year. I just saw your last on on the Staysure Insurance subject. Obviously, with the changes in residency / S1 requirements we will be going for private healthcare. I have already contacted Sanitas and last year had a bit of banter with Eddie from Staysure, he suggested a few Policies and levels, but Sanitas obviously only really have one. Luckily, we have no existing illnesses, bar my wifes Asthma, which is controlled.

I know that NHS Dr's can't do private work in Spain, but see that the Policlinica in Baza IS essentially private. How do you manage in Huescar? Do you go to Baza?

I am learning all the time, and all ears. With that in mind would be interested in your personal experiences, and will certainly buy you a beer in Huescar next time we are over!!!!!!

I have tried the PM route, but its just staying in the 'outbox', if it works for you to PM me, feel free!

Stays in the outbox until the recipient reads it.  

Doh!!!!!!!!!  

Unless of course that their inbox is full because they haven't emptied it!  

OzziePom wrote:Hi,
My experience is that costs are VERY dependent on age. & what you need.
We have a Europe wide policy - any private doc/specialist  (though beware, finding a private doctor - public doctors are not allowed to take private patients - is almost impossible around here.

We have been with Staysure for over a year and they have paid up so far when required.
PM me for more details, or this is my initial contact

Eddie Filsak
Life & Private Medical Insurance Team
Staysure.co.uk Limited

t: 0844 692 8380
e: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Hi - I know this is an old thread but I am looking for private health cover and was reading old threads, are you still here and with Staysure ?
Did they turn out to be any good
Could you please tell me if you found a local private doctor ?

Many thanks in advance

Further to my original posts, I would NEVER recommend Daniels Fox. They are un-ethical and I would welcome them challenging me.
If you use them, ask who they are regulated by?
If you use them for tax returns, get a comparison from someone else. If they muck you tax up, it is you the come after, not them. Cost me nearly €1000