Spanish health care system: Could someone sit down and spell it out clearly for me please?

I don't know if I just don't have my head on straight today, but I can't seem to find exactly where we would stand as a family with the health care system in Spain. I have read so many different threads and articles about it all today, and every single one of them seem to say something different!

Basically the plan is for me, my husband, and two children to move over to Spain in 2009, hubby will be working, and I will be staying at home until our youngest son is at school full time, then I will be working as well. So, do we get it free if we are paying tax, or do we have to have medical insurance? I thought we had to have medical insurance but then I was reading an article from this site and it says that "You will need to have private health insurance if you are not paying into the legal system by working in Spain."

Can anyone shed some light on it for me please?

Natalie,

When you move to Spain and become a fully registered resident you and your family will fall into different categories depending on whether you are working or not? I'm presuming that you will be both under 65 when you emigrate?

Let say your husband starts work as an employed person: His tax and ni contributions paid from his salary should cover him for the cost of his healthcare as it would in the UK and he would be treated like any Spanish citizen.

If you decide not to work then you should also be exempt from paying NI contributions as long has you have been making NI contibutions for 3 full years into the UK National Insurance system prior to the year you move to Spain. 

Any child under 18 in full time education or not registered for work should also qualify for free healthcare.

Approx 4 weeks before leaving the UK to live in SPAIN YOU MUST CONTACT the Overseas Division for Medical Benefits Tel: 0191 218 1999. They will check your NI records to confirm your status for receiving a E106 certificate(they will send you 2 copies) that you can hand over to the medical authorities when you arrive in Spain. The Spanish equivalent of the DSS will then be able to use this certificate to reclaim the cost of providing you with free medical treatment from the UK authorities.

Incidently,if only you or your partner has paid into the Uk NI system for 3 years and neither of you are initially working in Spain then you would both qualify for free public healthcare. The DSS system in the UK allows for one partner to be DEPENDANT on the other!  BUT again you must apply for this status prior to leaving the UK.

Finally! Once you have declared that you will be resident in Spain you will no longer Qualify for Free Medical Treatment in the UK unless you are a visitor requiring Emergency treatments!! Should you move back to the Uk on a permanent basis then you have to apply to be readmitted into the UK system!

You can also call the Dept of Health on 0113 254 6334 who should advise you of what medical treatments you may receive free of charge in Spain?

Hope it was of some help?

Mike T

So the kids are covered for free (as they will be under 18 and in full time education) Hubby will be covered because he will be working and paying tax, so it is just me I am stumped at, I haven't worked for over 5 years (gave up to be a 'stay at home mum' when our youngest was born) so would I be free as a dependant of my hubby or will I have to have insurance?

Sorry I think I left my brain in bed this morning!! LOL

Natalie,

Sometimes I wish I was lucky enough to leave my Brain in bed!!

Yes, you can piggy back your husbands NI entitlement. Just apply to be a dependant of his when you both apply for your certificates...