# Spanish health service



## lejink (Aug 22, 2017)

My wife and I are planning to retire to Spain next Spring. I'm aged 57, my wife will be 54. Can someone please advise us about the insurance I believe we have to pay to enjoy the Spanish Health Service.
Also can someone tell us the nearest Dacia car dealer to Benalmadena?
Thank you.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

I'm afraid at your ages you will have to have private healthcare for at least the first year of permanent residence. After that first year you can apply for the "Convenio especial" to which you and your OH will pay monthly into the Spanish 'NHS'. It entitles you both to Spanish healthcare. 

Have you enquired about all the other rules and requirements needed to gain residency here in Spain? You will need a monthly income that satisfies the authorities that you will not be a burden on the state.

Please also consider that healthcare rules may change after Brexit. 

Steve


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## Sputhafrica (Feb 27, 2017)

tebo53 said:


> I'm afraid at your ages you will have to have private healthcare for at least the first year of permanent residence. After that first year you can apply for the "Convenio especial" to which you and your OH will pay monthly into the Spanish 'NHS'. It entitles you both to Spanish healthcare.
> 
> Have you enquired about all the other rules and requirements needed to gain residency here in Spain? You will need a monthly income that satisfies the authorities that you will not be a burden on the state.
> 
> ...


Visit helicopterossanitarios on line E258 per annum and covers all existing ailments. Have their own hospitals but they cover only Sotogrande to Malaga. If you apply for a residencia you can get Social Seguridad, (NHS)


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Sputhafrica said:


> Visit helicopterossanitarios on line E258 per annum and covers all existing ailments. Have their own hospitals but they cover only Sotogrande to Malaga. If you apply for a residencia you can get Social Seguridad, (NHS)


This is simply not true. The Helicopteros Sanitarios "membership" for €298 per annum only covers emergency treatment for a doctor to visit you at home and if necessary transfer you to a hospital. It does not cover any type of hospital surgery, inpatient or ongoing outpatient treatment, and as it is not comprehensive private medical insurance it would not be accepted for the purposes of registering as a resident in Spain.

Registering as a resident in Spain does NOT entitle you to state health service treatment in Spain.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Sputhafrica said:


> Visit helicopterossanitarios on line E258 per annum and covers all existing ailments. Have their own hospitals but they cover only Sotogrande to Malaga. If you apply for a residencia you can get Social Seguridad, (NHS)


here is some info about Helicopteros
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...-spain/1224265-health-cover-helicopteros.html

Here is some info about Spanish healthcare from the British government site
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain

There is probably something in the FAQs in the stickies


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Lynn R said:


> This is simply not true. The Helicopteros Sanitarios "membership" for €298 per annum only covers emergency treatment for a doctor to visit you at home and if necessary transfer you to a hospital. It does not cover any type of hospital surgery, inpatient or ongoing outpatient treatment, and as it is not comprehensive private medical insurance it would not be accepted for the purposes of registering as a resident in Spain.
> 
> Registering as a resident in Spain does NOT entitle you to state health service treatment in Spain.


Helicopteros isn't worth the fee. As you say, all you get is a home doctor visit and 'free' GP consultation at their clinics, when you are routinely referred to a specialist with a minimum charge of 100 euros.
HS confirmed my aversion to private medicine of any kind.

OH was obliged to use private provision until she qualified for her tarjeta and was diagnosed with melanomas. HS treated her at their private hospital and the total cost ran into euros 000s. They operated on both hands at the same time so she was obliged to live with hands encased in bandages like huge boxing gloves halfway up her arm for weeks. She could shower, wash her hair and perform routine tasks only with much help and great difficulty.
After a year, the symptoms reappeared. By now she had received her card for the Andalusian health system. She was operated on again, at the CdS Hospital Marbella one hand at a time, in proper fully equipped theatre conditions - the procedures at HS were carried out in an office type room. 
She had regular visits to curas after the operation and was amazed to find the 'surgeon' who had operated on her at HS working at he CdS Hospital in what appeared to be an auxiliary nursing role.
All of this cost her directly not one cent. At HS every bandage, every item was billed.
She now has regular six monthly check ups at the CdS Hospital Dermatology Unit.

Some years ago I experienced hearing loss and consulted HS. After spending 600 euros consultation (with what seemed to me rather antiquated testing equipment including a tuning fork)and test fees I was told I needed a hearing device at a cost of 2000 euros. Sod that, I thought, I can hear what I want to anyway and 90% of what we hear on a daily basis isn't worth paying 2000 euros for listening to if you're honest.
When my JdA doc diagnosed ultra high blood pressure and started treatment for that....lo and behold I was restored to full hearing.
HS thrive on non-Spanish speakers who feel understandably that hearing their own language is in itself conducive to wellbeing. Fair enough but if you come to live here learn the language. It's not legally obligatory but it's polite, helpful and your health staff aren't trained linguists. 
As you can gather, I feel very strongly about this.

Regional health staff work for love. Private medicine is like M&S, Tesco, General Motors. Sugar coat it as you will, it's about money and privilege.
Health care should never be like buying a car or a tin of beans.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Sputhafrica said:


> Visit helicopterossanitarios on line E258 per annum and covers all existing ailments. Have their own hospitals but they cover only Sotogrande to Malaga. If you apply for a residencia you can get Social Seguridad, (NHS)


Please provide the evidence to this Wildy inaccurate statements..... many of would like to apply

Unless you are refer to pensioners in receipt of an S1 form from the U.K. Healthcare team.? 

Below retirement age you either work, pay private or you don't get


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I have had two experiences of being carted off to hospital (CdS Marbella) by ambulance.
One, with HS. Arrived within fifteen minutes, paramedics efficient but slightly impersonal, stuck me in a wheelchair at Urgencias and disappeared. No liaison with Staff there. Fortunately I was mobile, Spanish speaking and got myself through triage etc.
Last week, JdA ambulance came within thirty minutes, delay may have been caused by confusion from caller explaining the need for an ambulance to the Emergency Operator.
Paramedics, gentle, reassuring, human, checked me over, stretchered me into Urgencias, stayed until doc arrived with team and reappeared ten minutes later to ask how I was and say Adios.

Know which one I prefer...


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## Sputhafrica (Feb 27, 2017)

I have a residencia and receive Spanish Health Care


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Sputhafrica said:


> I have a residencia and receive Spanish Health Care


There's no entitlement to healthcare simply by being a registered resident.

How long have you been resident?

Do you receive a state pension & therefore an S1?

Do you work here?

sorry for the questions, but I'm trying to understand the circumstances under which you have state healthcare


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> There's no entitlement to healthcare simply by being a registered resident.
> 
> How long have you been resident?
> 
> ...


Maybe 'sin recursos'? :noidea:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Maybe 'sin recursos'? :noidea:


But you can't register as resident if you're 'sin recursos', by which I mean you have to prove that you won't be a burden on the state, & if you get heathcare free under 'sin recursos', then you're a burden on the state....


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> But you can't register as resident if you're 'sin recursos', by which I mean you have to prove that you won't be a burden on the state, & if you get heathcare free under 'sin recursos', then you're a burden on the state....


Unless s/he was already resident in 2012 and was able to obtain "sin recursos" healthcare by that route.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> Unless s/he was already resident in 2012 and was able to obtain "sin recursos" healthcare by that route.


Exactly. Hopefully s/he will let us know


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## lejink (Aug 22, 2017)

*Spanish health service -contd.*

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your reply. We will try to look into this matter more on our future visits before we move permanently. Would we perhaps get the one year private healthcare you mention from an expat insurance broker?

No we haven't yet looked into the other rules and requirements you mention about gaining residency. We already own a property in Spain and will have our savings and realised assets to enable us to live in retirement without working. Would this satisfy the authorities? We could arrange to send money over to our Spanish bank account from our UK bank monthly but I'm not sure if that would qualify as "monthly income".

I wonder if we should be applying for residency at all given what you say. My wife wants to retain a property in the UK to return to 
at short notice, but we will be looking to stay most of the year in Spain especially as we're bringing our dog out with us. 

We are both in good health currently but have to consider what would happen if something untoward happens to either of us. We plan to seek advice at our local town hall on this matter and also have a Spanish solicitor we will consult. Is there anyone else you think we should speak to?

Your advice is much appreciated.



tebo53 said:


> I'm afraid at your ages you will have to have private healthcare for at least the first year of permanent residence. After that first year you can apply for the "Convenio especial" to which you and your OH will pay monthly into the Spanish 'NHS'. It entitles you both to Spanish healthcare.
> 
> Have you enquired about all the other rules and requirements needed to gain residency here in Spain? You will need a monthly income that satisfies the authorities that you will not be a burden on the state.
> 
> ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lejink said:


> Hi Steve,
> 
> Thanks for your reply. We will try to look into this matter more on our future visits before we move permanently. Would we perhaps get the one year private healthcare you mention from an expat insurance broker?
> 
> ...


Be aware that the convenio especial isn't yet available country-wide. And you need to be a registered resident for 12 months in order to qualify.

If you are here, or plan to be here, 90+ days consecutively, the govt requires that you register. You aren't applying for anything. It matters not that you have a property in the UK. It's where you are that counts.

You don't need a lawyer, you can do it yourself. If you feel you need help, use a gestor. Regular monthly payments of the required amount into a Spanish bank account _will_ (currently) count as monthly income.

Similarly, for health insurance, which you need in order to register, you don't need a broker of any kind, let alone an 'expat' broker. It isn't 'expat' insurance. It's the same insurance that many Spanish nationals choose to use.

The insurance must be full cover with no co-pay, nor upfront payments for treatment.


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