# Allianz medical are you covered?



## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

Hi peeps, 

Well yet again this place has amazed me to the point of stupefaction. Yesterday I had recourse to go to the hospital as an emergency case. Off I toddled and as I have Alliance or as my card calls it Allianz Worldwide Care I thought why burden the local hospital, I'll use my medical insurance. The hospital were great, no long wait, no bolshy nurse who would rather be chatting/texting or drinking coffee. I was in and out bish bash bosh in under an hour. 

Then came the shocker. My insurance for which I pay an absolute arm and a leg suddenly didnt cover me, or rather it did, in a fashion. I was presented with the bill for my treatment and told, despite it being an Alliance/Allianz hospital with a bill. I smiled sweetly, no, no I said, I am insured. Yes you are, but you are a) in Spain, b) a foreigner, c) holding insurance that insists you pay for the treatment then claim it back.

Surely not I cried, so on the phone I got and yes, it is true, despite being sold this insurance as being the dogs do da's, all singing, valid anywhere in the world, repatriation etc, etc with bells on. I have to first pay for my treatment and then try, note the word, try claim it back.

So folks check your insurance, because despite reading my contract I cannot find anywhere where it says I have to pay up front then claim back, (if I can). Hopefully you won't ever fall foul of this clause like I did.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

JoCatalunya said:


> Hi peeps,
> 
> Well yet again this place has amazed me to the point of stupefaction. Yesterday I had recourse to go to the hospital as an emergency case. Off I toddled and as I have Alliance or as my card calls it Allianz Worldwide Care I thought why burden the local hospital, I'll use my medical insurance. The hospital were great, no long wait, no bolshy nurse who would rather be chatting/texting or drinking coffee. I was in and out bish bash bosh in under an hour.
> 
> ...


Poor you... I hope you are able to get your money back. 
Funnily enough, we are going through something similar with my father's policy with Sanitas. He has had ongoing treatment for cancer for the past couple of years, and they have paid for (almost) everything. But it doesn't cover prescriptions. All prescribed drugs to be administered at home have to be paid for. One particular chemo pill which the consultant wanted to administer costs 1200 euro per day. Needless to say, he is not having that particular treatment now, although we were lead to believe that it would be available if he went through the state system. So, another clause worth checking with your insurance company is whether prescription charges are covered in full...


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## Beachcomber (May 10, 2009)

The Sanitas policy conditions indicate quite clearly that out-patient medicines are _not_ covered. This was made abundantly clear to us when we contracted with them about twenty years ago. I don't know of any health insurance scheme that does cover this.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Beachcomber said:


> The Sanitas policy conditions indicate quite clearly that out-patient medicines are _not_ covered. This was made abundantly clear to us when we contracted with them about twenty years ago. I don't know of any health insurance scheme that does cover this.


No, I know it's stated in the policy but I guess when they took out the policy, it wasn't something that they thought would be an issue to overall treatment. I know of one other insurance company that does include it, but as my parents are over 70 they can't now swap to another company. 

I posted merely to flag to interested readers that it's something that SHOULD be considered important when taking out insurance. I might also add that this issue apart, my father has had exempliary care...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lynn said:


> No, I know it's stated in the policy but I guess when they took out the policy, it wasn't something that they thought would be an issue to overall treatment. I know of one other insurance company that does include it, but as my parents are over 70 they can't now swap to another company.
> 
> I posted merely to flag to interested readers that it's something that SHOULD be considered important when taking out insurance. I might also add that this issue apart, my father has had exempliary care...


but if he's here why isn't he just taking advantage of the state system?

1200€ a day


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> but if he's here why isn't he just taking advantage of the state system?
> 
> 1200€ a day


It's swings and roundabouts xabiachica. Whilst he may not be able to have this chemo because of the terms of his policy, he has had other treatment which definitely wouldn't have been available under the state healthcare system. When my parents first came to Spain nearly 15 years ago, they made a decision to take private medical insurance. Unfortunately, it isn't practical to cherry pick the best treatment under private medical insurance and mix it with treatment under the state system...
He has undergone extensive treatment over the past two years, including major surgery twice. He now has trust and confidence in the medical staff he is working with and is loathed to move into the state system. I respect his decisions, obviously, and can only support his decision and help my parents as best I can during what is undoubtedly a very difficult time


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

lynn said:


> It's swings and roundabouts xabiachica. Whilst he may not be able to have this chemo because of the terms of his policy, he has had other treatment which definitely wouldn't have been available under the state healthcare system. When my parents first came to Spain nearly 15 years ago, they made a decision to take private medical insurance. Unfortunately, it isn't practical to cherry pick the best treatment under private medical insurance and mix it with treatment under the state system...
> He has undergone extensive treatment over the past two years, including major surgery twice. He now has trust and confidence in the medical staff he is working with and is loathed to move into the state system. I respect his decisions, obviously, and can only support his decision and help my parents as best I can during what is undoubtedly a very difficult time


I do hope he makes a full recovery.

I really do not have much faith in the state system up here. It may be different where you guys are, but when a doctor tells you fiestas are more important than an MRI scan on someone who may or may not have had a stroke, you can surely understand why.


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## Beachcomber (May 10, 2009)

It may not be possible to cherry pick actual treatment but I am sure that, even if you have private health insurance, there is nothing preventing you from obtaining subsidised out-patient medicine through the social security system assuming you qualify for it.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lynn said:


> It's swings and roundabouts xabiachica. Whilst he may not be able to have this chemo because of the terms of his policy, he has had other treatment which definitely wouldn't have been available under the state healthcare system. When my parents first came to Spain nearly 15 years ago, they made a decision to take private medical insurance. Unfortunately, it isn't practical to cherry pick the best treatment under private medical insurance and mix it with treatment under the state system...
> He has undergone extensive treatment over the past two years, including major surgery twice. He now has trust and confidence in the medical staff he is working with and is loathed to move into the state system. I respect his decisions, obviously, and can only support his decision and help my parents as best I can during what is undoubtedly a very difficult time


I totally understand that - & yes, obviously a very difficult time & I hope he recovers well & soon

but I'm pretty sure if he is registered with a state clinic here, many if not most would write a prescription for the meds he needs

I know quite a few elderly people here who do indeed cherry pick - they use the state clinic for the mundane things such as diabetes maintenance, coughs & colds, flu jabs & so on

but if they find they can get quicker treatment - or even just english speaking staff - for anything involving hospitals, then they make use of their medical insurance


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> I totally understand that - & yes, obviously a very difficult time & I hope he recovers well & soon
> 
> but I'm pretty sure if he is registered with a state clinic here, many if not most would write a prescription for the meds he needs
> 
> ...


He is actually waiting for his social security card to arrive as we speak! He used to be registered, but they then removed his entitlement saying he wasn't entitled because his pension was paid into a UK bank. He has had to start the process of registering from scratch, and he has been told it will be two months before he gets his card. It will indeed mean he can at least get some of his medical supplies much much cheaper. It has been tough on him, because going down to the INSS office and having to queue and wait for long periods when he hasn't been well has been very difficult for him. I believe though, that he might now be able to get some other benefits like a disabled badge for the car, and some sort of tax credit because of his disability. The expensive chemo drugs however would mean going to a consultant at the state hospital, and he would rather stay with the consultant he is now using.
He starts a new chemo treatment next week. Fingers crossed that it is effective.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lynn said:


> He is actually waiting for his social security card to arrive as we speak! He used to be registered, but they then removed his entitlement saying he wasn't entitled because his pension was paid into a UK bank. He has had to start the process of registering from scratch, and he has been told it will be two months before he gets his card. It will indeed mean he can at least get some of his medical supplies much much cheaper. It has been tough on him, because going down to the INSS office and having to queue and wait for long periods when he hasn't been well has been very difficult for him. I believe though, that he might now be able to get some other benefits like a disabled badge for the car, and some sort of tax credit because of his disability. The expensive chemo drugs however would mean going to a consultant at the state hospital, and he would rather stay with the consultant he is now using.
> He starts a new chemo treatment next week. Fingers crossed that it is effective.


yes, fingers crossed

we're trying to persuade my dad to register as resident

he has already seen a consultant here for a chest complaint, while he was 'on holiday'

he has now decided to stay

trying to convince an 85 year old that 'resident' & 'nationality' aren't the same has proved impossible

we haven't mentioned it for a few weeks, so we're hoping he'll forget & we'll be able to convince him it's just for medical treatment


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> yes, fingers crossed
> 
> we're trying to persuade my dad to register as resident
> 
> ...


Oh, good luck with that Xabiachica! I'm sure you'll bring him round in the end x


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