FREE HEALTHCARE?

Hi,

Can anyone please tell me how I get free healthcare in Spain. I am a UK national, 54 years old. I have lived in Spain for just under 6 months, although I have owned a house here for the last 10 years. I am a "non-resident" at the  moment. I do not work. What happens when my EHIC runs out? Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks, Susie

Basically Susie, you can't get free healthcare.

You either have to be in receipt of a pension or have paid into the Spanish system.

If you don't live here permanently, you can continue to use your EHIC card and renew it when it runs out. However, to do that you must have a UK address.

Irene

If you were working just before you moved to Spain, you will get some free healthcare for the first couple of years.  For more information, go to the Foreign Office website.  http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/pensions-benefits/healthcare/.

It also depends where you are living.  Valencia used to give free healthcare for early retirees, which they have now withdrawn.  However there has been some talk about them introducing a contributory scheme, because so many expats complained,

Sue

While a slighty different situation, starting with the fact they don't live on the coast (hard to belive but not all brits move to the coast) I have a freind who moved here while still being employed in the UK. Becuase he works from home he's free to live in Spain while paying taxes in the UK. Long story short he wasn't able to sign up properly for healthcare and finally as a last resort his wife became autónomo, cost them 260€ a month but they are now in the system,

And to boot she will get a small pension in 20 years or so.

So you can either purchase private health care or become autónomo.

 If your income is below the SMI (Minimum Interprofesional Salary), you could also try applying for a health care thru the "sin recursos" system. The SMI is around currently around 8000 euros pa.

Eligibility for health care varies between regions, so it would help if you could say whereabouts in the country you live.

Hi tfr,

Thanks for your reply. Yes my income is below that and I live in Mijas Costa, Costa del Sol. Thanks, Susie

 Hi Susie, 

The "sin recursos" was established by the Real Decreto 1088/1989. I can´t post a link so please Google it for more info.

This route is widely used by Spanish nationals and (mainly non-EU) immigrants to access public health care. I believe it is less well know and used by Brits living in Spain. As I mentioned in a previous post the administration varies widely between regions and you´ll have to find out from the local health centre exactly what documents are required. Generally, passport, padron (and possibly residence) certificates, and some statement of financial status are necessary. 

I´ve also read that Andalusia indefinitely extends health cover for people once they are·"on the system" regardless of their status with respect to the Social Security. The problem, unfortunately, is how to get job with a contract in the first place.

One last point. The Government has announced that is will introduce legislation in November to extend health cover to the relatively small number of people currently outside the system. Although it looks almost certain that all Spanish nationals will be included in the system, the position of foreign residents is less clear. It is something worth bearing in mind in though.

Further to tfr's post, it will help if you register as unemployed then basically they can't refuse you . The full title is 'Extranjeros titular sin recursos'.

Thanks to everyone for the info. I'll sort it out next week and post the outcome, in case there is anybody else out there in the same boat - it may just help. Regards, Susie