# Cost of prescriptions and prescribed medication



## Rottman (Feb 9, 2018)

We will be moving to Spain soon and I currently take a range of prescribed drugs.
I will be transferring my private health insurance and pay the required Spanish national health charges once we move to Spain.
At present, in the UK my prescriptions are free as I am +60.
Can anyone please advise on the cost of prescriptions in Spain, if you pay for each prescription or each item on the prescription.
Can you please also indicate the amaounts payable.
Will this change once I become 65?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Rottman said:


> We will be moving to Spain soon and I currently take a range of prescribed drugs.
> I will be transferring my private health insurance and pay the required Spanish national health charges once we move to Spain.
> At present, in the UK my prescriptions are free as I am +60.
> Can anyone please advise on the cost of prescriptions in Spain, if you pay for each prescription or each item on the prescription.
> ...


I'm not sure what you mean by "pay the required Spanish national health charges". As an early retiree and not yet a Spanish resident, you will not be entitled to Spanish Health Care for at least a year!

After being legally resident for 12 months, you can pay into something called the "convenio especial" at 60€ per person per month. Even then prescriptions will be full price.

In Spain you pay per item.

Once you are a UK State Pensioner, then you can apply for an S1 from DWP. Then (following the correct process) you will be entitled to Spanish Health care and will pay between nothing and 10% of each item prescribed.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

As Snikpoh said, you will not be able to pay into the health system via the Convenio Especial for at least a year after registering as a foreign resident in Spain. You will need to have private health insurance for at least that first year, and to get your prescriptions from a private doctor, paying the full cost of the medications at the farmacia. If you will be visiting Spain again before you actually move, it would be a good idea to take all your medications into a farmacia and get them to tell you the cost of each item so you can tot it all up. A lot of things are pretty cheap to buy, but others are not.

And as Snikpoh also said, even if you do pay into the Convenio Especial that doesn't include the cost of medications so you would have to keep paying the full cost until you become a UK state pensioner and are eligible for an S1 form (assuming they are still available post Brexit).


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

If you won´t be able to get to a Spanish farmacia before you move, you could try doing a Google search for each of your medications (include the dosage, eg 500mg, because the higher the dose the higher the price will be). Search for precio de xxxxx españa and when the results come up, look for where it says PVP for the item - that is the retail price. You may have to put in the name of the actual drug rather than the brand name if a particular brand isn't available in Spain.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

This is a good site to use to find the cost of medications in Spain. Just put the name and dosage of your medications in the search box and click on Buscar.

https://nomenclator.org/


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Rottman

If you are in receipt of a benefit in UK, contact your benefit’s office, number on letters from them, you may be entitled to an S1 . If you are the benefit’s office will make the arrangements for you.

PS I know this because I called DWP to ask for another person in a similar position . 
Good luck


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Juan C said:


> Rottman
> 
> If you are in receipt of a benefit in UK, contact your benefit’s office, number on letters from them, you may be entitled to an S1 . If you are the benefit’s office will make the arrangements for you.
> 
> ...


Yes, if it's an exportable benefit 



> If you are in receipt of a UK old age state pension, request an S1 form (previously E121) from the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 191 218 1999. If you are in receipt of an exportable DWP benefit you can request an S1 form the office which pays your exportable benefit.
> 
> It is your responsibility to keep the Overseas Healthcare Team or office which pays your exportable DWP benefit up to date with any changes in circumstances which may affect your entitlement to an S1 (E121). When received, register the S1 form with your local INSS office, before you register with your local GP surgery and obtain a medical card..



https://www.gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad


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