Early retirement and healthcare in Spain

Hello,

I am after a bit of advice concerning healthcare. Its actually for my parents in law. They both took early retirement from their jobs in the UK about 3 years ago and came out to Spain however never registered for state healthcare here. They did have private cover and also joined up to helicopteros. They are not yet in receipt of UK state pension and will not be for about another 3/4 years. However they have found that the cost of the private cover has gone up quite alot and they can no longer justify paying it. What we would like to know is are they entitled to register with the local doctors here and if so do they need to contribute towards it? And how do they go about it as they no longer have a property in the UK and rent here.

Many thanks

Hello Lasiesta,

It depends on where they are in Spain.

Have a good look around on this subject, I'm sure the answer is here some where!

Regards, Febe

Hi lasiesta,

If they are not of retirement age yet they will need to contribute to the social security system in Spain to be entitled to the healthcare. When they left the UK they could have got form E106 which they can present to the local social security offices to register - this form entitles them to non contributory national health cover for 2 years in Spain, based on their UK contributions. Once registered at Social Security they can then register at a doctors and they will also receive a health card.   If they contact the department for social security in UK they should be able to request this form.  Likewise when they are at retirement age they will need another form, E121.

Hope that helps,

This is the link for the E106 form

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/ca8454.pdf

I think you'll find the E106 won't cover them as they retired to Spain over 3 years ago.  As far as I know, the E106 will cover you for up to two years depending on your NI contributions in UK in the two years leading up to retirement.  So if you have paid the last 2 years NI, you will get 2 years free in another EU country.  However, you say they are under retirement age.  How much under exactly?  If the wife is 60 she can go on to the Spanish system and her husband can go on it as a dependant until aged 65 when he will get it in his own right.  You will need a form E121 for this

You don't say in what area.  Valencia province has just introduced a pay into the system scheme for those under retirement age.  It is quite expensive and I have heard that private insurance may be cheaper. 

Hi Bob

I heard the quarterly charge was around 220€ for each person needing cover for the healthcare in the Valencia province but I also heard that it DID cover pre-existing conditions unlike a private insurance might so that may be what those with pre-existing conditions need to consider.

Details about E121 HERE  from www.dwp.gov.uk.

Interesting read from Puma22  >> Accessing Healthcare in Valencia: Making the system work for us

hi

Thanks for all your replies. They are in Mijas Costa, He is 59 years old and she is 57. I heard that you can contribute monthly but the cost is around 250 per person which seems very high, their previous private cover worked out cheaper. I will have a read of the sites provided to see if I can understand it any more. It does seem a little complicated. As far as Im aware I dont think the E106 is any good as they have been out of the UK for 3 years now . Does anyone know how they go about contributing and is it really as high as 250 a month in that area??

lasiesta,

Apologies, I was not sure if they were eligible based on previous contributions, but as others have answered it seems this is not possible.  Your parents in law can (if this is the route they choose) get very good private health cover for 58 euros each, monthly.