# Healthcare



## Anniebarber (Aug 21, 2014)

can anyone help me please , we are looking to relocate to Cyprus in the next 2 years, can anyone help me with healthcare my hubby will be 67 and I will be 62 do we get NHS healthcare or do we have to pay private, I cannot find any answers anD no one will help me out


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Your husbands need to get a form S1 from the department of works and pensions in the UK. (this is presuming he is on state pension then)
You go with that to the citizens centre here and he will get a hospital card. As his dependant you will also be covered by that. You will be entitled to the same health care as any Cypriot using that card.
Once you have your pension you will need an S1 form and a card of your own.

Actually all of the information you need is on this forum having been discussed at length many times so please take some time to read some of the old threads.

Veronica


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum.

If I assume that your husband at 67 is drawing a UK state pension, then he will be entitled to healthcare from the Cyprus state system. As his spouse you will also be entitled to the same healthcare.

I don't understand why you cannot find any answers. This question has been answered many times on threads on this forum and is easily answered by reference to UK government website.

As it is your first post I can also say you are wrong in saying that no-one will help you out. I just did.

Pete


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

PeteandSylv said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So did I


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## Anniebarber (Aug 21, 2014)

Veronica said:


> So did I


Thank you both so much !!!!!this is the one thing we have been scared of doing in case we have to pay private as we both have medical conditions mine is not too bad , I have never been on here before therefore I did not look through old threads . 
I meant other people I know who live in the North and someone who lives in the South they are friends of ours lol , maybe its because of all the tablets my hubby has to take it may have put them off finding out for me as its a bit complicated ,we would have to make sure we could get everything there as he suffers with a form of GCA giant cell arteritis so the prescription is a bit long 7 different medications .
I tried to find something on the Cypriot consultant site but kept getting mixed messages about healthcare and on the internet, it did say about a 121 form .


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

The information you have been given only applies to the Republic of Cyprus and not to the illegally occupied north of the island.

As far as healthcare insurance is concerned you will not be able to cover any existing conditions therefore any private healthcare would be at your cost.

You might want to check and refer to the official government medication list to see if your husband's medications are available.

I'm glad it is becoming clearer for you.

Pete


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Ah!!! does this mean you are going to be living in the North?
If so ignore everything we have told you. 
The North is not a member of the EU and I think you may need private insurance there but I can't be sure.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Veronica said:


> Ah!!! does this mean you are going to be living in the North?
> If so ignore everything we have told you.
> The North is not a member of the EU and I think you may need private insurance there but I can't be sure.


She say they have friends both in south and north, not where they will live.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

She said

Quote'I meant other people I know who live in the North and someone who lives in the South' unquote

That to me looks as though she is saying they will be living in the North.


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## Anniebarber (Aug 21, 2014)

Veronica said:


> She said
> 
> Quote'I meant other people I know who live in the North and someone who lives in the South' unquote
> 
> That to me looks as though she is saying they will be living in the North.


We don't know which is the best yet , we will only rent , we lived in Spain for a while and we lost everything we sold up and bought but then the market crashed , so we have learnt the hard way , Looking what there is to rent I prefer Southern we have never been to the North we love Paphos and are coming out next year for 10 days hol so we will spend a day looking at places to rent in the surrounding villages , so it will be a long term let , then I guess that will be a decider for us , I can always visit people up North . Thank you all so much for the advice I know where to look now


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

If you need to be able to access free healthcare you really need to forget about the North. The North is illegally occupied by Turkey and not recognised by the international world. 
The South is an EU member so you will have all of the rights of any member ofthe EU.


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## Anniebarber (Aug 21, 2014)

think you have just swung this for me Veronica x


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## Anniebarber (Aug 21, 2014)

*Prescrptions*

Hi can anyone tell me if you can get the same prescription drugs in Cyprus as in the UK as my husband has to take quite a lot of medication , we are coming to Paphos this year for a holiday if we took this prescription to a chemist and asked the question do you think they would be able to tell us . The answer to this question would be the decider as to whether we would be able to move out here and live as without all this medication he would die and we will have to stay in the UK


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

It will depend on the drugs in question. Some are available and some not. However they always seem to have an alternative drug.


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

Here is the official website where you can download the pricelist which has information about the drugs available here in Cyprus, but you may know them under a different name:

PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES - Pharmaceutical Price List


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## Knotts (Jun 22, 2013)

Anniebarber said:


> Hi can anyone tell me if you can get the same prescription drugs in Cyprus as in the UK as my husband has to take quite a lot of medication , we are coming to Paphos this year for a holiday if we took this prescription to a chemist and asked the question do you think they would be able to tell us . The answer to this question would be the decider as to whether we would be able to move out here and live as without all this medication he would die and we will have to stay in the UK


I have the same problem, came over in September and took details and sample of item to chemist. He was very good and checked the book to find an alternative but nothing. Suggested we go to Polis surgery which i did who said try the hospital who didnt know either and the only optionis to make an appointment to see a Dr at Paphos hospital to see if the item is available inder another name. Hope you have more luck.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Talagirl said:


> Here is the official website where you can download the pricelist which has information about the drugs available here in Cyprus, but you may know them under a different name:
> 
> PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES - Pharmaceutical Price List


The same list is possible to read online here.

Cyprus Medicine Prices

Remember that medecins can have different names in different countries. Cyprus use a lot of generics, copies to keep costs down


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

The health ministry on Friday announced that the price of almost 2,000 medicines had been reduced on average by around 15.5 per cent but in some cases the reductions were as high as 80 per cent.
The new prices will come into effect on Monday.

For full article:

Price of nearly 2,000 medicines reduced | Cyprus Mail


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Talagirl said:


> The health ministry on Friday announced that the price of almost 2,000 medicines had been reduced on average by around 15.5 per cent but in some cases the reductions were as high as 80 per cent.
> The new prices will come into effect on Monday.
> 
> For full article:
> ...


I will put the new prices online as soon as they are pubished. The available list is still an old one


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## Jo42 (Jan 11, 2015)

So am I right in thinking that, once over state pension age, you can have free treatment but pay for any medication required as per the current price list rather than a set prescription price as in UK? Would this be the same as an inpatient or would medication be covered whilst in hospital?

State Pension is still 15 years away for us but I thought the answer was worth noting anyhow. We will therefore need private health insurance. Can I ask how those who live in Cyprus just half the year and live in the UK the other half handle this?

thank you


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Jo42 said:


> So am I right in thinking that, once over state pension age, you can have free treatment but pay for any medication required as per the current price list rather than a set prescription price as in UK? Would this be the same as an inpatient or would medication be covered whilst in hospital?


Not quite. When over the state pension age you pay the standard fees e.g. €3 to see a GP, 50 cents per prescription item obtained from the state pharmacies (at surgeries or hospitals). The current price list you have seen is the over the counter price set by the government for medicines at private pharmacies. Inpatient treatment is not charged.

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Jo42 said:


> So am I right in thinking that, once over state pension age, you can have free treatment but pay for any medication required as per the current price list rather than a set prescription price as in UK? Would this be the same as an inpatient or would medication be covered whilst in hospital?
> 
> State Pension is still 15 years away for us but I thought the answer was worth noting anyhow. We will therefore need private health insurance. Can I ask how those who live in Cyprus just half the year and live in the UK the other half handle this?
> 
> thank you


It is not correct. if you have state pension, you and your spouse is entitled to use the public healthcare system.

then visit a GP cost 3 Euro, A specialist 6 €uro.

prescription medicins cost 0.5 Euro per prescription. means if you get 6 medicins they will cost 3 Euro

Lab tests cost 0,5 Euro per test. meaning that a general blood-test cost 0,5 Euro per value I paid around 20 euro for a general test, diabetes test and a PSA test

Hope this help


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

I have now updated the medicine prices with the new pricelist for those who are interested.

Cyprus Medicine Prices

Anders


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## Jo42 (Jan 11, 2015)

Thank you everyone for the helpful and very quick responses.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

I am sure the new price list reflects the reductions but a quick look for some of the important and common genetics in widespread use paints a sad picture: Aspirin absurdly priced, Paracetamol only as Panadol at 10x UK price; no Iboprufen and I can't think of anything more likely to bring on erectile disfunction than the price of Viagra!

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> I am sure the new price list reflects the reductions but a quick look for some of the important and common genetics in widespread use paints a sad picture: Aspirin absurdly priced, Paracetamol only as Panadol at 10x UK price; no Iboprufen and I can't think of anything more likely to bring on erectile disfunction than the price of Viagra!
> 
> Pete


That depends on how you value your sex-life


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

Baywatch said:


> I have now updated the medicine prices with the new pricelist for those who are interested.
> 
> Cyprus Medicine Prices
> 
> Anders


Very useful information and thank you for posting the lists. Pete's comments ring true and I suspect that the reduction in price will have been for the more expensive medicine. I wonder whether the price of cheaper items (i.e. under €10,00) will rise to allow pharmacists to maintain their margins


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

MacManiac said:


> Very useful information and thank you for posting the lists. Pete's comments ring true and I suspect that the reduction in price will have been for the more expensive medicine. I wonder whether the price of cheaper items (i.e. under €10,00) will rise to allow pharmacists to maintain their margins


Pharmacists has a margin of 37% by law. Nothing they can influence.

I see that my insulin has a price reduction of 40% which is good even if I get it at the General. somehow it must be more important to lower prices for drugs like this. Like asthma medication etc.

Viagra can always be bough generic for a much lower price online, even if you can't be sure what you get. Real stuff or placebo. But as long as it works..... lane:


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Baywatch said:


> Viagra can always be bough generic for a much lower price online, even if you can't be sure what you get. Real stuff or placebo. But as long as it works..... lane:


Thanks for your experience. I'll remember it should the time ever come............

:fingerscrossed:

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> Thanks for your experience. I'll remember it should the time ever come............
> 
> :fingerscrossed:
> 
> Pete


I have no experience yet.... But even if I come there my opinion is that it is important to treat diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular problems etc with discounted medicines. You will not die from erectile disfunction, that you can do from most of the other.


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