# moving to Màlaga - pregnant



## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Hi all
Firstly I'm sorry because I'm sure that this has been covered before and I did read the FAQ and Newbie stickies and I just can't make out quite what applies in my case. I'd be so grateful if someone can give me the basic facts in simple language!

It is quite possible I'll be moving to Malaga province by May. I'm due to give birth in September. I'm British, husband American with residency papers for France, daughter British. I obviously need to get to grips with healthcare there before I arrive. I was hoping to get by on the public health system. Many private policies won't cover a birth if you're already pregnant anyway. I'll be a stay-at-home mum so no working status. We'll be living off business interests abroad so neither will my husband have a Spanish employee status.

Some suggest online that it is as simple as proving residence and getting registered with a social worker at a Centro de Salud to get the health insurance number that allows you obtain treatment. Can someone tell me exactly how it works? Do I have to pay a "health tax" since I will not be contributing to the social security contributions via my work? Is there an exception for pregnancy?

I'm working on the basis that we will have bought a place to live by then by then (so have our NIEs) as if not we will probably have the baby elsewhere then properly settle in Spain after the birth. But we may just stay with family in Spain for the birth, in which case I could get them to put a utility bill in my name if that's the easiest way to prove residence.

I realise that it may be more complicated for my US husband but if necessary he can take out private insurance for the first year.

Sorry if I haven't given the right info, I'm really starting from scratch. Many thanks to any takers!


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## Katiebelle2882 (Dec 17, 2012)

You should listen to people who have lived it, but from my research it seems pretty inexpensive to buy private insurance. like 80 EU a month or something. It is not that expensive. I could be wrong, and it could be not the right insurance for you, but I am looking to move there in the near future and that is what I found from my research.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rosierosie said:


> Hi all
> Firstly I'm sorry because I'm sure that this has been covered before and I did read the FAQ and Newbie stickies and I just can't make out quite what applies in my case. I'd be so grateful if someone can give me the basic facts in simple language!
> 
> It is quite possible I'll be moving to Malaga province by May. I'm due to give birth in September. I'm British, husband American with residency papers for France, daughter British. I obviously need to get to grips with healthcare there before I arrive. I was hoping to get by on the public health system. Many private policies won't cover a birth if you're already pregnant anyway. I'll be a stay-at-home mum so no working status. We'll be living off business interests abroad so neither will my husband have a Spanish employee status.
> ...


:welcome:

YOU, as an EU citizen, can indeed get residency easily enough as long as you can prove income/funds - you will also need to prove healthcare provision, & as Katie says, private healthcare here is pretty inexpensive - though I don't know about cover for pregnancy at such a late stage in gestation

you are showing your location as the Middle East, so I'm guessing that you haven't recently/currently been working in another EU country with a reciprocal agreement for healthcare with Spain

therefore you won't be able to access state healthcare here at all (under current rules) unless you or your husband is working here, & you say that isn't the case



as an aside - it's by no means certain that your husband will be granted the right to reside in Spain at all - it's likely that he will, as long as YOU can prove that you can financially support HIM - but it's not automatic


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks so much for the replies. Yes, I've been in the Middle East for over three years, self-employed. Before that I was employed in France. I could possible "reactivate" my access to state healthcare in France before calling on it in Spain, as I think that would be fairly straightforward, only time is an issue.

If able to do that, how do I prove I'm covered in the other EU state? In France you are issued a health insurance card and a social security number. I guess that's what Spanish authorities would want to see?

Most private insurance companies won't take you once pregnant or only at very high rates indeed. This is common internationally. Perhaps there is some Spanish firm that will??


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rosierosie said:


> Thanks so much for the replies. Yes, I've been in the Middle East for over three years, self-employed. Before that I was employed in France. I could possible "reactivate" my access to state healthcare in France before calling on it in Spain, as I think that would be fairly straightforward, only time is an issue.
> 
> If able to do that, how do I prove I'm covered in the other EU state? In France you are issued a health insurance card and a social security number. I guess that's what Spanish authorities would want to see?
> 
> Most private insurance companies won't take you once pregnant or only at very high rates indeed. This is common internationally. Perhaps there is some Spanish firm that will??


you would need to get form S1 from France - I'm not sure that you could having been out of the country for 3 years though - if it's like the UK then your NI contributions (or whatever they are called in France) have to be pretty much current before you leave & they supply you with the S1

I would guess that you are right about health insurance & pregnancy, but I don't know for sure

have a look at the websites of ASSSA, Sanitas, ASISA, ADESLAS, to name a few


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks I'll look into the S1 - I thought that was only for early retirees whereas I expect I'll be back to work in a few years! I also read it doesn't allow you healthcare forever but only for a period of time like 2.5 years and needs to be reassessed and renewed after that, is that so? Sounds a bit like living in limbo.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rosierosie said:


> Thanks I'll look into the S1 - I thought that was only for early retirees whereas I expect I'll be back to work in a few years! I also read it doesn't allow you healthcare forever but only for a period of time like 2.5 years and needs to be reassessed and renewed after that, is that so? Sounds a bit like living in limbo.


that's pretty much right - you get up to 2.5 years healthcare if you're not working, under the agreement - it depends upon your NI contributions among other things

after that time you either need private insurance or you need to be working & contributing in order to access state healthcare


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Is that due to not being an actual citizen? I'm trying to think of the equivalent in the UK, but surely stay-at-home mums are covered by the NHS in the UK, and I'm sure I would have been covered by the French system in France if I stopped working. Obviously not claiming any other benefits at all, but just healthcare.
I know I haven't made it not settling and getting private coverage or whatever is needed before getting pregnant. I'm really not sure now where to have this baby, the UK, France, Spain or out here far from family!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rosierosie said:


> Is that due to not being an actual citizen? I'm trying to think of the equivalent in the UK, but surely stay-at-home mums are covered by the NHS in the UK, and I'm sure I would have been covered by the French system in France if I stopped working. Obviously not claiming any other benefits at all, but just healthcare.
> I know I haven't made it not settling and getting private coverage or whatever is needed before getting pregnant. I'm really not sure now where to have this baby, the UK, France, Spain or out here far from family!


it's nothing to do with being a citizen

it has for a long time been a different system here- contribution based

until a few months ago, anyone in Spain who wasn't paying into the system - _*including citizens*_ - didn't get state healthcare - it continued for 3 months after you stopped work, unless you were a dependent of someone still paying in - & then it stopped

in the UK it's residence based - if you are legally resident there you get healthcare - I don't know about France


last year they changed the rules somewhat, and now healthcare here is more or less residence based - but you had to have been registered as resident before April 24th 2012 - any new residents since that date have be contributing in order to qualify

with the S1, the issuing country essentially pays for the healthcare


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2013)

I would have the baby in the UK before changing to an uncertainty of health care. If you have any complications during pregnancy, you need the support of your own health care specialist, and to know what they are telling you.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Tejeda said:


> I would have the baby in the UK before changing to an uncertainty of health care. If you have any complications during pregnancy, you need the support of your own health care specialist, and to know what they are telling you.



Yes, but as the OP isn't resident in the UK, she wouldn't qualify for state healthcare, and as she hasn't worked in the Uk for a number of years, I don't thnk the S1 route would work either.

Don't know about the French system, but you could check it out. It doesn't sound as though you'll qualify though unless you can prove you live in france - Health Insurance in France | AngloINFO France

Even if you can "reactivate" it somehow, you're cutting it a bit tight to do that and somehow transfer it to Spain before May, when you are due.


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

You're right Brocher the timing is tight. If I return to live in the UK, then I will be covered for NHS healthcare, as it's based on residence and applies from as soon as you move back. So technically I could go live in the UK for a year. But my husband can only stay for 6 months on a tourist visa...though that would be enough time really. It's just that we are set on buying a place in Fuengirola to live there so makes no sense to stay in the UK and have to buy baby stuff there only to take it all to Spain after six months. Maybe I will stay and have the baby here in the Middle East and move afterwards, it just would have been great to have my parents across to Spain to help for the birth as I'll have a 2 year old as well and the healing was slow last time  I should have researched all this a long time ago


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

rosierosie said:


> You're right Brocher the timing is tight. If I return to live in the UK, then I will be covered for NHS healthcare, as it's based on residence and applies from as soon as you move back. So technically I could go live in the UK for a year. But my husband can only stay for 6 months on a tourist visa...though that would be enough time really. It's just that we are set on buying a place in Fuengirola to live there so makes no sense to stay in the UK and have to buy baby stuff there only to take it all to Spain after six months. Maybe I will stay and have the baby here in the Middle East and move afterwards, it just would have been great to have my parents across to Spain to help for the birth as I'll have a 2 year old as well and the healing was slow last time  I should have researched all this a long time ago


Oh dear, I don't think residence does apply as soon as you move back - 

http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh.../@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_134418.pdf

You might be lucky, of course, if no one thinks to check your entitlement, just assuming you are from the UK.

Good luck, and I hope you get something sorted soon. You'll have to, before it's too late for you to fly. You may already be at the stage where you need a doctor's letter.


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks for this useful link. But entitlement seems ok. It says on page 31:
3.42
A person present in the UK (and other designated places specified in the Charging
Regulations) for the purpose of taking up permanent residence is exempt from charges.
This will include former residents with a right of abode who return to the UK to resume
their permanent residence. 

From the explanation I understand that if I return to live in the UK (paying taxes, renting a home, etc where necessary, ie it's not a holiday) I don't have to specify plans of how long I want to live there, but I can show things like "transfer of assets" to the UK, an end of employment contract in former country etc. Of course you are free to then move to another country later if you choose, but you can't be just popping over for treatment without investing in the UK in some way.

I have until late July/early August before most airlines will require a doctor's letter to travel. But I want to be settled by early July at the latest, for my own sanity!


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Does any one have any information on the "health tax" that I somewhere read that you can pay to access the state healthcare for those not working? Surely this would dispense you from getting the S1 form in that rather than Spain obtaining reimbursement from the UK system, you are yourself contributing, as if you were working and paying national insurance contributions.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

rosierosie said:


> Thanks for this useful link. But entitlement seems ok. It says on page 31:
> 3.42
> A person present in the UK (and other designated places specified in the Charging
> Regulations) for the purpose of taking up permanent residence is exempt from charges.
> ...


Just re-read your original post. I thought you were due in May!!! At least you have a little more tiime!

Not sure about any way of paying into Spanish healthcare system except through social security contributions from work, or autonomo payments if you are self employed. Maybe that'swhat you are thinking of? I think it costs around 260e/ month.

That's an interesting quote re, returning to UK, and qualifying for healthcare. I've always read in the past that you have to be back for about 6 months to qualify.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

brocher said:


> [/COLOR]
> 
> Just re-read your original post. I thought you were due in May!!! At least you have a little more tiime!
> 
> ...


you're right - atm there's no way to 'buy in' to state healthcare

a 'buy in' scheme like the one we had in Valencia was discussed at the last round of changes last year, but nothing seems to have come of it yet

as for healthcare in tthe UK - they will check that you intend to stay there - you _do _have to be 'intending to take up permanent residence' - that might be hard for rosierosie to prove, since her husband won't be able to stay there


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## rosierosie (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks Xabiachica for clearing up the non-possibility of "buying in". You're right that it would be strange to become a "permanent resident" while the hubby is on a tourist visa - the health people will most likely not be interested in his situation, but if they chose to look into it it defs looks odd. Basically implies we plan to separate until he can get residence papers (though many end up doing that). In the meantime we could apply for residency for him which looks better. He risks having to leave the country for a while until they come through... or he might get them in less than his six-month holiday period. So complicated. Since he has a strong possibility of getting French nationality (schooled, studied and worked there for years) it make more sense for him to try for that as the UK would require him to live five years there for a UK passport.

So after all that good advice... we now think we'll give birth in France. I shall probably sign up as an autoentrepreneur (I assume this is similar to the Spanish autonomo status) and will not have to pay too much to be covered for the birth, just in case there are complications. We have a place there (currently rented out) so can become resident quite easily, and we file a tax return there each year on our rental income. If we can buy in Spain this year we will, but we'll save moving for after the baby at least.

Thanks so much for your comments and excellent advice.


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