# Just got healthcare here



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

We just received Documentos Acreditativos Del Derecho A Asspistencia Sanitaria

But----under condición de aseguramiento, it says:
NO SUPERA LIMITE DE RENTAS

What does this mean exactly? Is there some charge based upon income?

We already have private healthcare so I doubt we will use this unless it is for pharmaceuticals!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Yes, what you pay for prescriptions depends on your income. NB it's important to do a tax return otherwise you will be charged the highest rate - this can make a big difference if you need regular meds.



> From July 1 2012 anyone given a prescription in Spain should notice that it will include the percentage of the cost of the medication that they have to pay. This percentage will be taken from information about your income obtained from the annual resident tax declaration (IRPF).
> 
> Anyone with an income greater than €18,000 a year will have to pay half the cost of the medication. Those below this amount will pay up to 40 percent. Pensioners with an income of less than €18,000 who have made a tax declaration will pay 10 percent with a maximum payment of €8 per month. Pensioners with an income greater than €18,000 will pay a maximum of €18 per month.
> 
> If you have not made an annual resident tax declaration in Spain there will be no indication on the prescription of how much you must pay. Instead, blanket charges will be made of 40 percent for non-pensioners with low incomes and 10 percent for pensioners. However, it is important to note that no income information means no cap on your monthly contribution.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

If you are under retiring age you will be paying 40% regardless.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

As a couple, our recordable income is about 30000€ in pensions a year and yes! we pay US taxes and Spanish taxes. Is this based per person or per couple? I suppose the medico visits will cost nothing?


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

We are retired pensionistas from the US. Although not 65 yet, we applied for and receive Social Security payments from the US


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

40% of prescriptions or medico or both?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> 40% of prescriptions or medico or both?


care is free - it's the medicines you pay for


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> We are retired pensionistas from the US. Although not 65 yet, we applied for and receive Social Security payments from the US


wow! 

how did you swing free healthcare here?!


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Don't know actually. I just walked in the office, told the woman we were pensionists from the US and she said we qualify. Pretty cool, huh? I really didn't expect it.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> Don't know actually. I just walked in the office, told the woman we were pensionists from the US and she said we qualify. Pretty cool, huh? I really didn't expect it.


seriously??

unless I'm missing some new rule which made the US part of the EU - or you've been legally resident here since before April 2012............. you *don't *qualify for free healthcare here


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Got me, I'm just going with the flow. We already have private coverage. I didn't think we qualified either. If valid, it will be nice to have as a backup and if just a screw up, no loss here.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

We have been here since July, 2012 and own property here, if it makes any difference.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> We have been here since July, 2012 and own property here, if it makes any difference.


no - no difference

unless there's a visa which gives you access to state healthcare that I don't know about??

which visa do you have?



I'd be wary of using the cards tbh - we had a US citizen on the forum who was erroneously issued cards a while back & it caused all sorts of problems when the mistake was discovered

you could potentially end up with massive bills....


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

No visa necessary. My wife is a US and EU citizen. I doubt I will use the card anyway. Like I said, I have private coverage and it is excellent.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> No visa necessary. My wife is a US and EU citizen. I doubt I will use the card anyway. Like I said, I have private coverage and it is excellent.


ahhh - maybe that's it then

does your wife get an EU pension at all?

that could well explain it 

if you do indeed legitimately have access, most of us would agree that state healthcare, for all its finacial problems atm , is in many cases far superior to private healthcare


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

No foreign pension. I really think this is a screw up on the Spanish part


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> No foreign pension. I really think this is a screw up on the Spanish part


I think you could be right :wink:


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

The possibility is that if you owned the property prior to 2012, & with your wife being an EU citizen ,even without any EU pension income which wouldn't matter , you've crept in on the 'sin recursos' ?


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

What we would call normalcy here is incompetence
in the US


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

We just bought the property a few months ago


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Elyles said:


> What we would call normalcy here is incompetence
> in the US


:lol: I think that's how you got healthcare .

I see from your link you are on the road to the Somport tunel ? I might be going that way later in the year for a change.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

We like it here


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Just received a phone call from the office in Huesca. Since under 65, they want to charge me 60€ a month and my wife €150. Apparently one can buy into the healthcare system here.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> Just received a phone call from the office in Huesca. Since under 65, they want to charge me 60€ a month and my wife €150. Apparently one can buy into the healthcare system here.


ah yes - the _convenio especial - _it was introduced last October iirc - it's available to anyone who doesn't qualify for free healthcare, after they have been resident for 12 months


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Yeah, but it does not include pharmaceutocal benefits BUT being a pensionist does. Quite perplexing


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> Yeah, but it does not include pharmaceutocal benefits BUT being a pensionist does. Quite perplexing


you'll get free are though & any pre-existing conditions would be covered

only an EU pension will get you the discounted prescriptions


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