QUESTION RE SPANISH HEALTH SYSTEM

can anyone tell me why is it that when I go to my health centre

to see a doctor that there are always a lot of rumanians, morrocons ect

using their S.I.P. cards to see a doctor when they are only in their 20s and 30s.

yet a british national living here have to be either pension age or working and

paying into the social security system to qualify for a S.I.P. card, or pay approx

270 euros every 3 months to be on the health system. Is there different rules in

the european countries to qualify for S.I.P. cards.????

I am sure all the other nationalities will not have the funds to pay for there health cover.

 They may work in Spain, be asylum seekers (or families thereof) or "displaced" persons in which case they will either be paying into the system or have their payments made for them.  The rules are the same for everyone in Europe.  When you become resident, you have exactly the same access to the health service as the Spanish do.  

The difference in UK is that they treat anyone who is "domiciled" there regardless of whether they have paid into the system or not which is exactly the same for British people in UK.  You can go to any country in the EU and, if you become resident, have exactly the same rights as a national.  However, most countries insist you pay into the system first (in Germany everyone has to have insurance for example) and Spain is no different.  Asylum seekers (those applying for it and those granted it) are given free treatment in any EU country.  Those working and paying into the system in Spain will also receive free treatment for themselves and for their families (regardless if only one person is working).  I'm sure these "rumanians, morrocons ect" are on the system one way or the other.

Interestingly, though, the Alicante region health authorities reckon some 20% of people they treat for "emergencies" are British who, falsely, use the EHIC to gain treatment even though they live in Spain.  They are, therefore, accessing treatment to which they are not entitled as they have not paid into the Spanish system.

Hi Bobaol,

thanks for your reply.

yes I agree with you about people who live here permanently

who use there EHIC card for treatment but never register for

residency.

lets hope they crack down on these people who are fleecing the system.

I have been told of people who live here permanently but anytime they

need treatment hop on a plane back to england and get hospital treatment.

makes me angry when the likes  of you and I do everything by the book but others

just flout the law.

There many ways in which people can qualify for health care in Spain without contributing the Social Security system. Here are three examples;

1. Anyone with a monthly income of less than approx 650 euros qualifies (under sin recursos).

2. In Valencia (and in several other regions) a single a contribution to the SS ( for example, working in agriculure for a month), entitles the person o idenfinite health care.

3. Valencia´s Tarjeta Solidaria. One of the regional iniatives that automatically issues health cards to immigrants from non-EU countries.

So it´s not that difficult to get access to the health care system once you start to understand a bit of more about the system works.