# Early retirees health care



## peter.timmins (Jun 12, 2013)

Hi folks, my wife an I are both british early retirees who currently live in France. We are in the French healthcare system by virtue of an S1 (disability) which entitles us to what's called a Carte Vitale for health care.

We're getting a bit fed up of the cold wet winters and have been eyeing the winter sun available in the south of spain with envy. We've no idea what healthcare cover expats can enjoy in Spain, this being our only concern with making a move. So, the question is, could we get in the Spanish system via the S1 we have, or can all expats simply join it in any case. We pay to top up our French healthcare as they only cover 70% of costs via the Carte Vitale's. This costing €200 per month. Is it similar in Spain.

Many thanks for any help anyone can hopefully give us. Thank you.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

peter.timmins said:


> Hi folks, my wife an I are both british early retirees who currently live in France. We are in the French healthcare system by virtue of an S1 (disability) which entitles us to what's called a Carte Vitale for health care.
> 
> We're getting a bit fed up of the cold wet winters and have been eyeing the winter sun available in the south of spain with envy. We've no idea what healthcare cover expats can enjoy in Spain, this being our only concern with making a move. So, the question is, could we get in the Spanish system via the S1 we have, or can all expats simply join it in any case. We pay to top up our French healthcare as they only cover 70% of costs via the Carte Vitale's. This costing €200 per month. Is it similar in Spain.
> 
> Many thanks for any help anyone can hopefully give us. Thank you.


You can get healthcare in Spain via the S1, which you first have to register with the INSS (Social Security office). They issue you with a document confirming your entitlement to state healthcare, which you then take to your local health centre where you will be registered and allocated to a named doctor. A credit card type health card (tarjeta sanitaria) will be sent to you by post. In Andalucia, you can make appointments online, by SMS, by phone (app available for smartphones) or in person at the healthcentre.

Your subsequent healthcare will be free apart from a contribution to the cost of prescriptions. For people below retirement age this is normally 40%, but I am not sure if this differs for people with disabilities. 

I am not sure how the process of transferring your S1-funded healthcare from one country to another works, though. Hopefully someone else can shed more light on that.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> You can get healthcare in Spain via the S1, which you first have to register with the INSS (Social Security office). They issue you with a document confirming your entitlement to state healthcare, which you then take to your local health centre where you will be registered and allocated to a named doctor. A credit card type health card (tarjeta sanitaria) will be sent to you by post. In Andalucia, you can make appointments online, by SMS, by phone (app available for smartphones) or in person at the healthcentre.
> 
> Your subsequent healthcare will be free apart from a contribution to the cost of prescriptions. For people below retirement age this is normally 40%, but I am not sure if this differs for people with disabilities.
> 
> *I am not sure how the process of transferring your S1-funded healthcare from one country to another works, though. Hopefully someone else can shed more light on that.*


I believe you have to ask DWP to issue a new S1 and that you can't actually 'transfer' the care from another EU country, only from the country that originally issues the S1.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

EverHopeful said:


> I believe you have to ask DWP to issue a new S1 and that you can't actually 'transfer' the care from another EU country, only from the country that originally issues the S1.


Yes, that makes sense and I thought that might be the case but wasn't sure.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

peter.timmins said:


> Hi folks, my wife an I are both british early retirees who currently live in France. We are in the French healthcare system by virtue of an S1 (disability) which entitles us to what's called a Carte Vitale for health care.
> 
> We're getting a bit fed up of the cold wet winters and have been eyeing the winter sun available in the south of spain with envy. We've no idea what healthcare cover expats can enjoy in Spain, this being our only concern with making a move. So, the question is, could we get in the Spanish system via the S1 we have, or can all expats simply join it in any case. We pay to top up our French healthcare as they only cover 70% of costs via the Carte Vitale's. This costing €200 per month. Is it similar in Spain.
> 
> Many thanks for any help anyone can hopefully give us. Thank you.


We have cold wet winters in southern Spain too you know! Snowing in Almeria yesterday, floods in Granada and Malaga ... But the longer daylight hours are nice.

As others have said, I'm pretty sure you cannot transfer S1 cover from one country to another. But in Spain, after you have been resident for a year, you can buy into the Spanish healthcare system for around €60 per person under the scheme called _convenio especiale_, less than you are paying in France now, and prescription prices are heavily subsidised.

The cost goes up once you are over 60 (65?) but by then you should get the S1 cover for pensioners paid for by the British government. Though of course nobody knows as yet what the situation will be post-Brexit. We all have our fingers crossed that this will continue!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> But in Spain, after you have been resident for a year, you can buy into the Spanish healthcare system for around €60 per person under the scheme called _convenio especiale_, less than you are paying in France now, and prescription prices are heavily subsidised.
> 
> The cost goes up once you are over 60 (65?) but by then you should get the S1 cover for pensioners paid for by the British government. Though of course nobody knows as yet what the situation will be post-Brexit. We all have our fingers crossed that this will continue!


Although they are early retirees, the OP said they are covered via an S1(disability) which means they wouldn't need to go down the convenio especial route until they reach state retirement age.


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

You can join the Spanish health system with the S1 if on disability. Prescription charges depend on income its 10% of charge of medication upto an amount decided by you tax declaration pensioners and disabled normally pay max of 8 euros a month.


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## peter.timmins (Jun 12, 2013)

Thanks for all your help


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