# Health cover quotes



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Hi, I'm in the process of getting quotes and am wondering what level of healthcare cover is best? I'm on the Sanitas website at the mo and it asks about "plan options" one of which is "minimum cover for residency app" but doesn't give much more info. 

I'm on Thyroid medication but otherwise well and could source that online myself so am wondering if the most basic cover (i.e cheapest!) would be sufficient or if it's best to go for something more comprehensive?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

infomaniac said:


> Hi, I'm in the process of getting quotes and am wondering what level of healthcare cover is best? I'm on the Sanitas website at the mo and it asks about "plan options" one of which is "minimum cover for residency app" but doesn't give much more info.
> 
> I'm on Thyroid medication but otherwise well and could source that online myself so am wondering if the most basic cover (i.e cheapest!) would be sufficient or if it's best to go for something more comprehensive?


With any private healthcare you will have to pay full price for medications, so your level of cover won't make any difference to that.

'Basic' might not be enough to satisfy for registering as resident. Many _extranjerías_ will refuse a policy with co-payments.


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> With any private healthcare you will have to pay full price for medications, so your level of cover won't make any difference to that.
> 
> 'Basic' might not be enough to satisfy for registering as resident. Many _extranjerías_ will refuse a policy with co-payments.


Sorry to be a bit thick but what do you mean by "co-payments"?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

infomaniac said:


> Sorry to be a bit thick but what do you mean by "co-payments"?


One version is where you pay a fixed (usually low) amount per year & have to buy 'tickets' for every time you need treatment

We had this with ASSSA - can't remember how much a ticket was - it was years ago now - but it was one ticket for a GP visit, two for a blood test., several for an x-ray

Thankfully we never needed surgery - I dread to think how many tickets that might have been


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

OK thanks. I will never complain about the NHS again!


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

I am with Sanitas. I am hypothyroid and buy my _levotiroxina_ at the farmacia. The cost works out at about 5c a tablet.

Health is a great thing to take for granted. Should you fall ill, however, you might be thankful that you opted for higher cover. Having lost my husband to a particularly nasty cancer, I am forever grateful that we had the top level of cover. They covered all the tests and outpatient treatments as well as 14 hospital stays, some via A&E, a 10-hour operation and a month in intensive care. You will find with (I think) all private medical insurance policies that all drugs, unless in hospital, have to be bought yourself.


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

That's food for thought Madliz. I guess we always think it won't happen to us don't we?

I am waiting for a quote from Sanitas so will definitely bear your advice in mind. What is the Thyroid treatment like in Spain?


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## Jesnat (Mar 5, 2016)

We are with Axa Spain. On their Spanish website they have a number of standard plans similar to other insurers. We pay a lower monthly premium and then reasonably small cost each time we visit the doctor etc but this capped. So far, (touch wood) we have found it good. We filled in the forms which were followed up by a telephone questionnaire on our general health. The cover is comprehensive so we didn't have any problems with our residence application.


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Thanks Jesnat, I'll have a look on their website and get a quote


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Jesnat said:


> We are with Axa Spain. On their Spanish website they have a number of standard plans similar to other insurers. We pay a lower monthly premium and then reasonably small cost each time we visit the doctor etc but this capped. So far, (touch wood) we have found it good. We filled in the forms which were followed up by a telephone questionnaire on our general health. The cover is comprehensive so we didn't have any problems with our residence application.


I've just had a quick look and see that they don't count any conditions you previously had. So do you mean you have the standard plan then anything in connection to pre-existing conditions you pay for yourself?


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

infomaniac said:


> What is the Thyroid treatment like in Spain?


I see an endocrinologist every 3-6 months and have a full blood and urine analysis (red and white blood cells, urine, liver function, glucose, cholesterol, etc.). Every few years they do an ultrasound of the thyroid and ocasionally an Xray. A big difference here is that all the results are collected and stored by the patient. One gets to see things one wouldn't in the UK!


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Crikey!!! That's worth paying for in itself! All I get here is a yearly check-up, after which I am invariably told I'm OK and any symptoms I have are nothing whatsoever to do with my Thyroid... So that's all included in your plan and you just buy your own Thyroxine? Just out of interest can you buy T3 medication over the counter? I know a lot of people in the UK have difficulty getting it.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Just out of interest how would they know if you previously had something like a kidney stone removed if you didn't mention it? Do they contact your home country for history or records?


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Hmmm...I wonder? Surely not?


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Roy C said:


> Just out of interest how would they know if you previously had something like a kidney stone removed if you didn't mention it? Do they contact your home country for history or records?


If it is something relevant to the particular consultation, you will be asked, naturally. Normally, whenever you see a specialist, there will be relevant question to be answered. I prefer this system; it gives one more knowledge and control. 

There was no transfer of medical records when I arrived, last century, and I doubt it could ever work. Doctors' handwriting _and_ a foreign language? :confused2:


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## Jesnat (Mar 5, 2016)

We never had any pre-conditions luckily. We had an option of paying a higher monthly cost and then each time you have to visit the doctor, specialist etc, there is no further charge vs a lower monthly fee and you pay each time you visit. There is not a huge amount of difference in cost and I guess it all depends on one's age and state of health and how frequently you think you might have to go to the doctor. Our policy is capped so after a fixed number of visits we wouldn't have to keep paying. Sorry I don't know how pre conditions are considered.


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## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

That's fine. I think I'll give them a ring just to make sure I'm doing the right thing.


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