# NHS letter



## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Anyone else received a letter from the NHS? Mine arrived today, headed "Your healthcare after Brexit." Interestingly, it started: "The UK is leaving the European Union (EU) on 31 October 2019" (the Government are obviously confident that a deal will be reached or they have found a way around the Benn Act!). And the message to British expats is: free healthcare is not guaranteed after December 2020; pensions may be frozen after 2023 (no more annual increases); and EHIC cards will no longer be valid in EU countries, so private health insurance will be necessary when travelling. I understand that everyone living in the EU who is receiving healthcare as part of the S1 scheme has received this letter.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

We haven't received our letters yet, but I did read about 10 days ago that they were being issued.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

My NHS letter just arrived

Having thought for a long time that the annual increase in the OAP in most countries has nothing to do with reciprocal agreements I just researched on line. That is just an excuse.

The decision not to pay the increases is based only on the cost. Thus the U.K. government chooses to penalise pensioners who move abroad. They could if they wanted to respect us pay the increases wherever in the world we live. We are being discriminated against, plain simple.

The same applies to the S1 health cover. The DWP pay £4,700 a year to spain so that we get ‘free health cover.’ They also pay for dependants. If they are under 65 the amount paid is less per person.

Thus again to stop paying that is the choice of the U.K. and in real terms nothing to do with Brexit or anything. It’s a cost saving measure. Again discrimination. 

The EHIC cover means U.K. are billed for any service proved. Again not to continue that cover is cost saving. I have no doubt spain and other EU countries would have no problems with providing treatment under any change of system, brexit included. It would not cost them a cent. Yet again discrimination just to save money and to hell with us !

PS. Maybe in a year or two U.K. will choose to pay pensions, provide health cover based on post codes, gender, ethnicity etc. What a saving they could make with that !


End of rant for now


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Juan C said:


> My NHS letter just arrived
> 
> Having thought for a long time that the annual increase in the OAP in most countries has nothing to do with reciprocal agreements I just researched on line. That is just an excuse.
> 
> ...



I've long given up thinking that I'll live long enough to get my UK pension.

I was expecting it this year - until the goalposts were moved & now I won't get it for another 7.

If I were the Spanish govt I'd be looking for a healthcare agreement whereby the UK is billed for the actual cost of healthcare...

Reciprocal of course - which wouldn't cost Spain very much at all, considering most Spaniards in the UK are working & therefore entitled to use the NHS.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

xabiaxica said:


> I've long given up thinking that I'll live long enough to get my UK pension.
> 
> I was expecting it this year - until the goalposts were moved & now I won't get it for another 7.
> 
> ...


Extract from the Guardian earlier this year: "A senior civil servant in the Department of Health told a select committee in 2017 that Spain charged an average of €3,500 per pensioner signed up to the S1, Ireland charged an average of €7,500 and the UK charged about €5,000. In total, the government paid out about £500m – or £2,300 per pensioner – which he said was significantly lower than the cost of treating pensioners in the UK."


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

A friend has told me that any British expat who was receiving healthcare in Spain under the 2012 law before qualifying for S1 cover will be able to fall back on the Spanish system after Brexit. This makes sense to me because, when I reached 65, I was told that my 2012 cover would become invalid as it was only available to people who had no alternative healthcare provision. Because I had now become eligible for an S1, I was told I had to apply for this and re-register with the INSS, which I obviously did. So if S1 cover is withdrawn it seems logical that I would once again become eligible under the 2012 law. Anyone have an thoughts on this?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

The Skipper said:


> A friend has told me that any British expat who was receiving healthcare in Spain under the 2012 law before qualifying for S1 cover will be able to fall back on the Spanish system after Brexit. This makes sense to me because, when I reached 65, I was told that my 2012 cover would become invalid as it was only available to people who had no alternative healthcare provision. Because I had now become eligible for an S1, I was told I had to apply for this and re-register with the INSS, which I obviously did. So if S1 cover is withdrawn it seems logical that I would once again become eligible under the 2012 law. Anyone have an thoughts on this?


The Spanish government said recently they would be devolving post-Brexit healthcare policy to the regions. So until they make a decision (which won't be till after B-Day) everything is pure speculation.

There have been some scare stories in the Guardian recently about S1 being withdrawn and repayments being stopped in the event of no deal etc etc but there is still plenty of time to renegotiate new arrangements. Pedro Sanchez has said that no Brit currently receiving free healthcare is going to lose it, and I've got more faith in him than those [email protected] in Westminster.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Skipper the Spanish law provides universal cover for everyone living in spain. 

That law was an extension to the previous right to cover if one had been resident before 24 th March 2012, did not have cover from elsewhere and income below a certain amount

I believe the EU said the cover could not be restricted as it had been and thus is was made available t all who did not have cover from elsewhere. Hence your need to get an S1 when you were qualified for that

There has i understand been some problems with extended cover because the Spanish government had been established since the last election. 

An American friend of mine obtained cover under under the before 2012, so that would apply to all other nationalities.

PS. I posted this before I saw there had been a post just before mine


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Any chance that a copy of the letter, obviously redacted re personal info could be published so we can see the text. I have a few friends who are interested in this


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> The Spanish government said recently they would be devolving post-Brexit healthcare policy to the regions. So until they make a decision (which won't be till after B-Day) everything is pure speculation.
> 
> There have been some scare stories in the Guardian recently about S1 being withdrawn and repayments being stopped in the event of no deal etc etc but there is still plenty of time to renegotiate new arrangements. Pedro Sanchez has said that no Brit currently receiving free healthcare is going to lose it, and I've got more faith in him than those [email protected] in Westminster.


Trouble is in the phrase “ devolving to the regions” as we know from the permanent residency applications what is and what is not required varies to the extremes. 

Is there time to negotiate new deals! I’m not so sure. What about all the three year talks of securing citizens rights... I see nothing in concrete from either side. The information released earlier this year by the Spanish government now seems null and void. Personally, if I’m honest, I don’t trust either side anymore.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Megsmum said:


> Any chance that a copy of the letter, obviously redacted re personal info could be published so we can see the text. I have a few friends who are interested in this


Here it is (two pages):


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Megsmum said:


> Is there time to negotiate new deals! I’m not so sure. What about all the three year talks of securing citizens rights... I see nothing in concrete from either side. The information released earlier this year by the Spanish government now seems null and void. Personally, if I’m honest, I don’t trust either side anymore.


The International Healthcare Arrangements bill became law last March. giving the British government authorisation to negotiate new arrangements with EU member states for care previously covered by S1, EHIC etc after it leaves the EU. So yes, given that they have confirmed in the letter that cover will continue until 31 December 2020, there is plenty of time. This deadline will presumably be moved back if there's yet anoher extension.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

The Skipper said:


> Here it is (two pages):
> 
> View attachment 91092
> 
> ...



Thank you for that



Alcalaina said:


> The International Healthcare Arrangements bill became law last March. giving the British government authorisation to negotiate new arrangements with EU member states for care previously covered by S1, EHIC etc after it leaves the EU. So yes, given that they have confirmed in the letter that cover will continue until 31 December 2020, there is plenty of time. This deadline will presumably be moved back if there's yet anoher extension.


Ok


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