# Private and Public Healthcare



## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

Please forgive me as this is an area that is totally alien to me. 

We move to Alhaurin de la Torre in 2 weeks. 

It seems as to what I have read here before that most people have private healthcare. Does anybody know of any good providers? Are they bilingual? (our Spanish is getting a lot better but not good enough to speak in medical terms) are there any that serve the Alhaurin de la Torre area?

Also in the interim (if needed) we may need to register with a state GP (my son is 2 so important to have some sort of medical cover from the outset) would we be applicable for state health care? As we obviously have not paid into the system in Spain and we won't ever as my OH works in the UK. 

Any help gratefully received! Thanks!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

You've not been too clear about your circumstances

In general you should be entitled to up to 2 years state health care here based on your NI contributions over the last years in the UK. You should have applied to the DWP in the UK, and the documentation they issue can be used to get a temporary card here in Spain.

However in general, after that period is ended and if you are not working here then you will not have cover here and will need private cover. If you are working and contributing into the system here, then you will be able to get cover

There are various private health comapnies ... We used Sanitas (Salud - Seguros - Seguros mdicos - residencias - mdicos - centros de salud - hospitales)

On another note, you say your husband works in the UK. Will he live in Spain? Does he expect to pay into the system in the UK?

Jojo may be able to give you more help if you can confirm these points


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

We haven't left yet so there is still time to organise that documentation from the DWP for interim health care cover. Both of us have worked and paid NI all our lives so I think we will both be entitled to the 2 year cover. 

My other half works in the oil and gas industry so he will be paying UK TAX. 

Thanks for the recommendation for healthcare, I will go and look at this now. 

Thanks again!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

TheHendersons said:


> We haven't left yet so there is still time to organise that documentation from the DWP for interim health care cover. Both of us have worked and paid NI all our lives so I think we will both be entitled to the 2 year cover.
> 
> My other half works in the oil and gas industry so he will be paying UK TAX.
> 
> ...


OK, well I _think_ that because of that you will be entitled to child benefit (or should I say, your husband will). I'm not, to be honest, 100% sure about health care because your husband is paying NI in the UK .... JoJo may know more


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

We're in a similar situation. We're moving to Spain in July and I also work offshore in the UK and have private health care through my employer with AXA PPP which I can pay extra into to cover the whole family while living in the UK. They also have an international service (which costs a little more), which I imagine your OH probably can also get through his employer ??
I may look into the child benefit & 2 year state health care thing also as I'll probably still be paying into the UK system for a while at least.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Stravinsky said:


> OK, well I _think_ that because of that you will be entitled to child benefit (or should I say, your husband will). I'm not, to be honest, 100% sure about health care because your husband is paying NI in the UK .... JoJo may know more



Jojo thinks she does (but has a bit of a hangoiver and isnt thinking too straight this morning)????? lol! My understanding is that as long as your husband is paying into the UK system for tax/NI then you are covered by a reciprocal agreement between the two countries. So you will be covered as long as you have your EHCI cards - which will cover you on your previous payments for the first couple of years anyway. 


Also you can put your child allowance in your husbands name and he is still entitled to claim it - you as a Spanish resident, who wont paying into the UK system are not!! Actually, its not necessary or good for your husband to register in Spain as a resident ???!!My husband, who works and pays into the UK is actually only ever a visitor to Spain and cant stay here for more than 183 days a year (  ) so doesnt have a residencia

But I think to be able to do any of this he will need a UK address as a reference/contact point

Jo xxx


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

We still have our home in the UK. He is self employed so we don't have any private health care and he is in Spain for only 11 days a month so I guess it's not worth his while registering. 

How is the state health care?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

TheHendersons said:


> We still have our home in the UK. He is self employed so we don't have any private health care and he is in Spain for only 11 days a month so I guess it's not worth his while registering.
> 
> How is the state health care?


 It sounds like you're in exactly the same situation as we are. My husband is self employed and we still have our UK house. My husband does have private health care for himself in the UK, but we're left to the mercy of the state healthcare.

The healthcare in Alhaurin de la Torre is good. Theres a modern health centre in the road opposite Opencor, passed the outside gym. They dont really speak English at the reception, but one of the doctors I've met did. Its not much different to how it is in the UK - maybe a bit more efficient and infinitely cleaner!! The local hospital for "big" problems is in Malaga and thats good too. Unfortunately we've had to use them, once for my son who tore his ligament and then for me when I broke my leg - I think we're accident prone cos my son broke his arm last week, atho cos he was at school when the accident happened, it is being dealt with privately through the schools insurance and we're down on the coast now

I soooooooo wish we'd met up when you were over here, I could have shown you where everything was, we could've compared notes etc.....!!!!!

Jo xxx


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

Haha it does sound like we are in incredibly similar situations! We will be back on the 29th, so perhaps we could meet up then? Coffee or a wine?

You lot sound incredibly accident prone!! Haha!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

TheHendersons said:


> Haha it does sound like we are in incredibly similar situations! We will be back on the 29th, so perhaps we could meet up then? Coffee or a wine?


..Or ice cream in the best Ice cream bar in Spain! Just passed the "Alhaurin tower". My favourite place! My OH will be here then and he's the brains.....!!!!

Jo xxx


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

Is that the one on the main street? We tried it the other night... Oh my dear god I hope they do weight watchers in Spain!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

TheHendersons said:


> Is that the one on the main street? We tried it the other night... Oh my dear god I hope they do weight watchers in Spain!!


Yes, glass fronted with tables and chairs outside. They do "sin azucar" - sugar free icecream, but only two flavours ????? I've gotta be honest, icecream here has been my downfall - ferrero rochet, cookie, cheesecake..... flavours.... I've put on nearly 2 stone since I've lived here!


Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

TheHendersons said:


> Please forgive me as this is an area that is totally alien to me.
> 
> We move to Alhaurin de la Torre in 2 weeks.
> 
> ...


Hi there,

I recorded my difficulties with getting the reciprocal state health care cover in this thread some months ago´
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...pain/61160-frustrations-over-new-s1-form.html

Thankfully, I perservered, and now have the proper paperwork covering my three children as dependants of myself. It took a great deal of time and effort, including calling the British Consulate in Malaga at one point when we had an emergency situation with my daughter which required medical assistance. 

The two years reciprocal agreement ends at the end of this year for us, but as we still pay NI in the UK, we will be able to apply for continued cover. This is through a different department in the UK, so I envisage another marathon job getting it all sorted. 

As an aside, I should say that when we did need to see a doctor in an emergency situation before the paperwork had been sorted, we just showed our EHIC card and the healthcentre accepted this no problem. However, I am unfortunately the sort of person that doesn´t feel comfortable unless doing things by the book, and hence I have battled the system to get the official paperwork.

We are (on the whole) a healthy family, and therefore have not had many opportunities to use the state health system, but from our limited experience it matches up to what we were used to in the UK. However, as in the UK, when people have serious health issues that need addressing, I have heard that the wait to see a specialist consultant can be very long here in Spain. Private healthcare is very reasonably priced, and you may wish to explore that as an option anyway.


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi I also live in Torre and love the Ice cream shop. We use the Health Center although we are not pensioners yet my OH is classed as a pensioner due to health problem. We get free prescriptions as well. Have also used the hospital in Malaga a couple of time and always found them very clean and well run. The Health center is fine although our Gp always seems to be running late. Most of the GP speak a little English but you have to try first in Spanish before they let on.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lynn said:


> The two years reciprocal agreement ends at the end of this year for us, but as we still pay NI in the UK, we will be able to apply for continued cover. This is through a different department in the UK, so I envisage another marathon job getting it all sorted.
> 
> As an aside, I should say that when we did need to see a doctor in an emergency situation before the paperwork had been sorted, we just showed our EHIC card and the healthcentre accepted this no problem. However, I am unfortunately the sort of person that doesn´t feel comfortable unless doing things by the book, and hence I have battled the system to get the official paperwork.


All we've ever needed was EHIC cards, passports and our address to get "signed" to the health centre, we were then given a social security number (it wasnt the same social security number I needed to work here) and that was that! We've only needed to see a doctor in emergency situations, but follow ups have required us to have the social security numbers

Jo xxx


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

thought i'd add on here rather than starting another healthcare thread.
We're moving over on the 17th of July (can't wait, only 3 weeks to go !!) and I can get international medical cover for me and the family through my work with AXA PPP, has anyone used them in Spain ?
Are they generallt accepted in most medical centres/hospitals ?
Our agent is looking into this also but still waiting feedback on this.

Cheers
John


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## Morten (Apr 20, 2011)

I have private healthcare with axa and theyre working with largely all the private doctors Ive encountered so far ... and at least the local private clinics and hospitals I know of (havent needed any). 

Certainly here, Costa Blanca North, Axas network seem very extensive. They will give you a book with all of the doctors, medical specialists etc that they work with - but also have a searchable index of them on their website: Su Salud - Servicios - Home. AXA (not sure if theres an english version)

I havent used them for anything major, so cant comment on their "helpfulness in a crisis situation" but you have a creditcard type thing from them, the medical person you attend swipes it or notes the number ... and thats it. Ive never actually had to talk to them.



MacRov said:


> thought i'd add on here rather than starting another healthcare thread.
> We're moving over on the 17th of July (can't wait, only 3 weeks to go !!) and I can get international medical cover for me and the family through my work with AXA PPP, has anyone used them in Spain ?
> Are they generallt accepted in most medical centres/hospitals ?
> Our agent is looking into this also but still waiting feedback on this.
> ...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

The new advert for the European Healthcard is causing a bit of a storm!


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

cheers Morten, that's a load off, now to just get there


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