# All I want for Christmas is you.



## UKinSpain (Apr 9, 2010)

Living in Spain? Are you thinking of going back to the UK to spend your Christmas holidays? Make sure you come and get informed about healthcare first! Get informed of what the EHIC is & what it’s for in case you need it in the UK. Make sure you get informed, it’s your responsibility. Please visit our website (http://healthcareinspain.eu/events.php) for further details on the next 2 outreach events in Valencia in December.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Valencia is over 1000 miles away, perhaps you could publish more details on line. 

I was in the U.K. in September, I paid a quite substantial amount for an eyesight test and a specialist examination, this was my choice, I was not prepared to argue with N.H.S staff

Having paid health contributions, and income tax for over 55 years, and still paying income tax to the U.K. coffers, I often wonder where do my contributions go, not in my direction, that is for sure.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Hepa said:


> Valencia is over 1000 miles away, perhaps you could publish more details on line.
> 
> I was in the U.K. in September, I paid a quite substantial amount for an eyesight test and a specialist examination, this was my choice, I was not prepared to argue with N.H.S staff
> 
> Having paid health contributions, and income tax for over 55 years, and still paying income tax to the U.K. coffers, I often wonder where do my contributions go, not in my direction, that is for sure.


but if you're resident in Spain then you _can't _use the NHS for anything other than essential/emergency treatment which can't wait until you return home........ the EHIC doesn't cover that


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

But if Hepa is in receipt of a pension then he's entitled to NHS care in the UK as well as Spain.
Only requirement is to have paid in to the UK for 10 years at some point in the past.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

gus-lopez said:


> But if Hepa is in receipt of a pension then he's entitled to NHS care in the UK as well as Spain. Only requirement is to have paid in to the UK for 10 years at some point in the past.


I think the NHS is still resident based Gus, although there was a proposal to make it available to former contributors , this AFAIAA has not yet been confirmed, although I do expect it to happen, probably from April 2014.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> but if you're resident in Spain then you _can't _use the NHS for anything other than essential/emergency treatment which can't wait until you return home........ the EHIC doesn't cover that


... but isn't that the point Hepa is making. Given that he MUST pay UK tax, what's it being used for?

I guess you could argue that it goes for his healthcare in Spain (paid for by UK) but what else does it go towards?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> But if Hepa is in receipt of a pension then he's entitled to NHS care in the UK as well as Spain.
> Only requirement is to have paid in to the UK for 10 years at some point in the past.


not yet - from April next year I believe


CapnBilly said:


> I think the NHS is still resident based Gus, although there was a proposal to make it available to former contributors , this AFAIAA has not yet been confirmed, although I do expect it to happen, probably from April 2014.


yes that's my understanding



snikpoh said:


> ... but isn't that the point Hepa is making. Given that he MUST pay UK tax, what's it being used for?
> 
> I guess you could argue that it goes for his healthcare in Spain (paid for by UK) but what else does it go towards?


I didn't say it was _fair

_ just the way it _is............._


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

The eye Specialist,the Optician and staff, plus my daughter a theatre tech. in the N.H.S. were all absolutely furious, when they found out I was still paying taxes, but could not use the N.H.S.

Yes I am an old git on a pension.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Actually, just had a thought, isn't Hepa non--resident in Spain, so resident in the UK, in which case he is entitled to treatment.

I still pay shedloads of tax in the UK, for which I receive b****r all, and shedloads in Spain as well, for which I also receive b*****r all and hassle to boot.

Actually, in all fairness I am now getting something from Spain, as we signed on for healthcare last month.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

CapnBilly said:


> Actually, just had a thought, isn't Hepa non--resident in Spain, so resident in the UK, in which case he is entitled to treatment.
> 
> I still pay shedloads of tax in the UK, for which I receive b****r all, and shedloads in Spain as well, for which I also receive b*****r all and hassle to boot.
> 
> Actually, in all fairness I am now getting something from Spain, as we signed on for healthcare last month.


I am resident, and have been for a long number of years.


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## Aron (Apr 30, 2013)

gus-lopez said:


> But if Hepa is in receipt of a pension then he's entitled to NHS care in the UK as well as Spain.
> Only requirement is to have paid in to the UK for 10 years at some point in the past.


I am resident in Spain and receive a UK pension. Two years ago whilst having treatment in Spain in the form of injections, when I saw a doctor in the UK at the local hospital, I was told that the injections were too expensive and I could have tablets instead as that was the NHS procedure in the UK. I was in the UK for just a few days. Before I left, the hospital phoned to tell me that any future treatment, I would be charged. I paid into the state system in the UK for 50 years


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

There are reported to be somewhere in the vicinity of one million of us here in Spain and it would make more sense if UKinSpain were to send us a mailshot (e-mail of course) about things like this. It would be far more cost effective for both UKinSpain and the rest of us since we'd not have to journey several hundred kilometres. There is provision for us to register with UKinSpain/Embassy (I have) so there should be a mailing list already.

Those of us who are officially resident in Spain should have healthcare provision either by means of a properly registered S1 or health insurance. The only ones who are likely to be using EHICs other than bona fide visitors are the fraudsters who should be getting their collars felt just like those who illegally own and illegally use UK registered vehicles beyond the allotted time and evade the vehicle taxes.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Paragraph 2 .
[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Are you a UK state pensioner spending more than 6 months a year living outside the United Kingdom? : Department of Health - Health care

" If you have a UK state retirement pension and have lived in the UK (or been employed as a UK crown servant) for ten continuous years at some point in the past, you will be exempt from charges for treatment the need for which arises during your visit to the UK. This means treatment needed where the diagnosis of a condition is made when first symptoms arise during a visit to the UK. It also applies where, in the opinion of a doctor or dentist employed by an NHS hospital, treatment is needed quickly to prevent a pre-existing condition increasing in severity, eg dialysis. It does not include routine monitoring of an existing condition such as diabetes.

This exemption extends to your spouse, civil partner and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) as long as they are lawfully present with you for the duration of your stay."


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> Paragraph 2 .
> [ARCHIVED CONTENT] Are you a UK state pensioner spending more than 6 months a year living outside the United Kingdom? : Department of Health - Health care
> 
> " If you have a UK state retirement pension and have lived in the UK (or been employed as a UK crown servant) for ten continuous years at some point in the past, you will be exempt from charges for treatment the need for which arises during your visit to the UK. This means treatment needed where the diagnosis of a condition is made when first symptoms arise during a visit to the UK. It also applies where, in the opinion of a doctor or dentist employed by an NHS hospital, treatment is needed quickly to prevent a pre-existing condition increasing in severity, eg dialysis. It does not include routine monitoring of an existing condition such as diabetes.
> ...


yebbut....

the EHIC/TSE would cover anyone for that level of treatment in any case - emergency or essential treatment 

or am I missing something ?


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

CapnBilly said:


> I think the NHS is still resident based Gus, although there was a proposal to make it available to former contributors , this AFAIAA has not yet been confirmed, although I do expect it to happen, probably from April 2014.


Yes the proposal is to make it available to anyone who has contributed for 7 years, regardless of age. The link I posted has always been the case for pensioners.

Hepa , if I were you for the time taken to send a few emails , I'd look to be claiming my money back.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> yebbut....
> 
> the EHIC/TSE would cover anyone for that level of treatment in any case - emergency or essential treatment
> 
> or am I missing something ?


Which is what Hepa had. It arose during his visit, therefore he must be exempt from paying.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> Which is what Hepa had. It arose during his visit, therefore he must be exempt from paying.


an eye test?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm going to have an eye test in a mo at our local eye clinic - I live in the UK, pay my taxes etc, I even work for the NHS and............ and apparently, I have to pay! Altho from whats been said here, maybe I'll query that

Jo xxx


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> an eye test?


I thought it was something else as well that he alluded to on another recent post ?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> Yes the proposal is to make it available to anyone who has contributed for 7 years, regardless of age. The link I posted has always been the case for pensioners.
> 
> Hepa , if I were you for the time taken to send a few emails , I'd look to be claiming my money back.


Thanks for that Gus, I always had free eyesight tests, when residing in England, glaucoma in the immediate family.

The other treatment I had to go to a Private clinic, which I chose to do, so really I could only claim the opticians eyesight test back, is it worth hassle I ask myself. But thanks anyway


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

jojo said:


> I'm going to have an eye test in a mo at our local eye clinic - I live in the UK, pay my taxes etc, I even work for the NHS and............ and apparently, I have to pay! Altho from whats been said here, maybe I'll query that
> 
> Jo xxx


.....I got it free - I was given a voucher as an NHS employee

Jo xxx


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

I went out earlier and went to an optician in Calle Mayor and had an eye test for free. I asked in 2 other shops and they were also free and they did the basic things, like everytime I went in the UK and paid £20 for it.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Our village opticians does a lot of things free such as eye tests, checking intra-ocular pressures, spectacle repairs (on specs they haven't supplied originally!) elements of customer service that normally one would have to pay for back in UK. When I was being sorted out for contact lenses, I had several lenses before they were OK all of which someone has to pay for in the long run - it just wasn't me!


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