# Repeat prescriptions



## bgregory01 (Jun 22, 2015)

When I moved over in September, I brought 3 months supply of statin tablets.

These are about to run out. 

How do I go about getting a new supply? Do I go to a doctor and get a prescription that I can take to a chemist as I would in the UK or is there a different system here?

I am not registered for private health, but do have an S1

Brian


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

bgregory01 said:


> When I moved over in September, I brought 3 months supply of statin tablets.
> 
> These are about to run out.
> 
> ...


Have you registered as resident & are you on the padrón? If not you need to get those organised & register your S1 with the INSS (social security) . Then you can register with a family doctor.


The doctor might want to do their own tests before prescribing, but once that it done you will be issued with a repeat prescription (assuming the doctor considers that you need them.)


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

bgregory01 said:


> When I moved over in September, I brought 3 months supply of statin tablets.
> 
> These are about to run out.
> 
> ...


Firstly, you need to be registered as a resident (your S1 form should be sufficient to satisfy the healthcare requirements, plus you'll need to show proof of adequate income or a lump sum in a Spanish bank account) by your local Extranjeria offfice. Then you need to take your S1 form to your nearest INSS (Social Security office) and they will issue you with a document confirming your right to state healthcare in Spain (ours took 5 weeks to arrive). You then take that document to your local health centre and register with them where you will be allocated a named family doctor. Your medical card will arrrive in the post but I think you can see a doctor in the meantime to get a prescription.

That's how the process worked in Andalucia when we did it at the beginning of this year, it may be different in other areas.

If you haven't left yourself enough time to go through the process before your medication runs out, you may just have to go to a private clinic and make an appointment to see a doctor and pay the consultation fee. They will give you a private prescription but you will have to pay 100% of the medication costs.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

bgregory01 said:


> When I moved over in September, I brought 3 months supply of statin tablets.
> 
> These are about to run out.
> 
> ...


Many medicines that are prescription only in the UK are available over the counter in Spanish pharmacies. My wife is on statins and she buys her monthly supply without a prescription. Take a box or leaflet from your existing supply to a pharmacy and they will almost certainly give you a replacement. You will, of course, have to pay the full cost (the ones my wife takes cost 15 Euros a month) but this will give you some breathing space before you obtain your State health cover.


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## bgregory01 (Jun 22, 2015)

*Thank you*

Thanks one and all for the replies.

I have an S1 form, am registered on the padron and have an appointment to register for residency - in January next year,

I'll go to the pharmacy!

Brian


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

What steps does a person who is non resident but living in Spain for the permitted 6 months of the year need to take to access state health care ,not private.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

emlyn said:


> What steps does a person who is non resident but living in Spain for the permitted 6 months of the year need to take to access state health care ,not private.


The only way you could do that is by using your EHIC card. You might, however, run into problems if you needed to use it for a period of treatment which exceeded 3 months, as you are required to register as a resident within 90 days of arrival. The 183 day rule relates to tax residency, which is a different matter.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

emlyn said:


> What steps does a person who is non resident but living in Spain for the permitted 6 months of the year need to take to access state health care ,not private.


But you will be resident - just illegal by not registering. Don't know where you get the "permitted six months" from.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> But you will be resident - just illegal by not registering. Don't know where you get the "permitted six months" from.


if not quite 'illegal', certainly irregular

emlyn - the requirement is that if you are here, or intend to be here for 3 months/90+days, you register as resident


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Padrón discussion moved to here http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...n/935594-requirements-registering-padr-n.html


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> But you will be resident - just illegal by not registering. Don't know where you get the "permitted six months" from.


By permitted 6 months I meant the 183 days I thought one could remain in Spain without being a permanent resident .


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> if not quite 'illegal', certainly irregular
> 
> emlyn - the requirement is that if you are here, or intend to be here for 3 months/90+days, you register as resident


No, this is very wrong (and yes, I am a pedant but in this case it's important). You do not register as resident you simply sign on the list of foreigners.



emlyn said:


> By permitted 6 months I meant the 183 days I thought one could remain in Spain without being a permanent resident .


Permanent residency used to be considered (and still is?) after 5 years!


You need an NIE for any fiscal transaction - buying house, car, mobile phone etc. It has nothing to do with being resident - anyone can have one.

You are obliged to sign on the list of foreigners within 90 days - some argue that this makes you resident - see above, but it doesn't. You are then 'in' the Spanish system.

After 183 days (in calendar year etc.), you are automatically considered tax resident. You are then even more 'in' the Spanish system.


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> The only way you could do that is by using your EHIC card. You might, however, run into problems if you needed to use it for a period of treatment which exceeded 3 months, as you are required to register as a resident within 90 days of arrival. The 183 day rule relates to tax residency, which is a different matter.


Thank you for clarifying re tax residency and the requirement to register as a resident within 90 days of arrival.
I am unsure how to proceed re accessing state health care ,our situation is that we are likely to be in Spain for periods of 1 month ,possibly 2 months at a time, spaced over a 12 month period, and unlikely to be in Spain for 90 days consecutively.
In that case do we simply rely on our EHIC card and hope that if we should become ill we do not exceed 3 months.
This has been brought into sharp focus for me as my partner was recently hospitalised in Spain for 2 months and she was reliant on her EHIC card only.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

emlyn said:


> Thank you for clarifying re tax residency and the requirement to register as a resident within 90 days of arrival.
> I am unsure how to proceed re accessing state health care ,our situation is that we are likely to be in Spain for periods of 1 month ,possibly 2 months at a time, spaced over a 12 month period, and unlikely to be in Spain for 90 days consecutively.
> In that case do we simply rely on our EHIC card and hope that if we should become ill we do not exceed 3 months.
> This has been brought into sharp focus for me as my partner was recently hospitalised in Spain for 2 months and she was reliant on her EHIC card only.


But if you use an EHIC repeatedly, UK will assume you are living here and withdraw the use of the EHIC which means you will have to pay the full cost. You really need a long-term health insurance.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

emlyn said:


> Thank you for clarifying re tax residency and the requirement to register as a resident within 90 days of arrival.
> I am unsure how to proceed re accessing state health care ,our situation is that we are likely to be in Spain for periods of 1 month ,possibly 2 months at a time, spaced over a 12 month period, and unlikely to be in Spain for 90 days consecutively.
> In that case do we simply rely on our EHIC card and hope that if we should become ill we do not exceed 3 months.
> This has been brought into sharp focus for me as my partner was recently hospitalised in Spain for 2 months and she was reliant on her EHIC card only.


If you would be using an EHIC for no more than 2 months at a time then you should not have any problem, and there really is no other way to access Spanish state healthcare for anyone who is not a resident, not paying Spanish social security contributions and does not have an S1 form (as a UK state pensioner or their dependant, or a dependant of someone who is working in the UK and paying NI there).

The usual advice is, however, that an EHIC card does not cover every eventuality (it doesn't cover repatriation to your home country by air ambulance, for example, which would be a very costly business if you had to pay for it yourself), therefore you also really need travel insurance as well.


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> If you would be using an EHIC for no more than 2 months at a time then you should not have any problem, and there really is no other way to access Spanish state healthcare for anyone who is not a resident, not paying Spanish social security contributions and does not have an S1 form (as a UK state pensioner or their dependant, or a dependant of someone who is working in the UK and paying NI there). The usual advice is, however, that an EHIC card does not cover every eventuality (it doesn't cover repatriation to your home country by air ambulance, for example, which would be a very costly business if you had to pay for it yourself), therefore you also really need travel insurance as well.


Thank you,I am a UK state pensioner and my partner will be in January, so if I've understood correctly we need to get an S1 form to meet requirements.Where do we get this form from.We are keen to ensure we are properly covered and meet our obligations.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Emlyn, this might be helpful for you:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

emlyn said:


> Thank you,I am a UK state pensioner and my partner will be in January, so if I've understood correctly we need to get an S1 form to meet requirements.Where do we get this form from.We are keen to ensure we are properly covered and meet our obligations.


But the problem is that S1 forms are issued to people who are going to be living in Spain permanently, and you can't get them for just parts of the year.

As you are effectively only going to be visiting Spain as tourists, albeit for longer stays than a fortnight's holiday, then as I keep on saying your only option for accessing Spanish state healthcare is to use the EHIC card.


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> But the problem is that S1 forms are issued to people who are going to be living in Spain permanently, and you can't get them for just parts of the year. As you are effectively only going to be visiting Spain as tourists, albeit for longer stays than a fortnight's holiday, then as I keep on saying your only option for accessing Spanish state healthcare is to use the EHIC card.


Thank you again for your clarification.


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

AllHeart said:


> Emlyn, this might be helpful for you: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain


Thank you for that link


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

emlyn said:


> T
> This has been brought into sharp focus for me as my partner was recently hospitalised in Spain for 2 months and she was reliant on her EHIC card only.


It does not matter how long you are "ill" for , under EU rules the clock stops. None of the time can count as it was unforeseen & not intentional to exceed any pre-determined period .


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> No, this is very wrong (and yes, I am a pedant but in this case it's important). You do not register as resident you simply sign on the list of foreigners.
> 
> 
> 
> .


Yes you're signing on the list of foreigners - specifically the list of EU citizens. The list/register of EU citizens resident in Spain - so you are registering that you are resident here, or intend to be, for 3 months or more.

And you're issued with a card or certificate called a _*Certificado de Registro. *_In other words (or rather in English ) a _*Certificate of Registration*_


I can be pedantic too


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> Yes you're signing on the list of foreigners - specifically the list of EU citizens. The list/register of EU citizens resident in Spain - so you are registering that you are resident here, or intend to be, for 3 months or more.
> 
> And you're issued with a card or certificate called a _*Certificado de Registro. *_In other words (or rather in English ) a _*Certificate of Registration*_
> 
> ...


No problem, I absolutely agree.

It's a _*Certificate of Registration*_ and not a *certificate of residency*.


I don't see why there should be a problem using the EHIC repeatedly (@baldilocks) provided they don't breach the 90 day or 183 day rules - they're just having many holidays surely.

If a problem should occur, then the EHIC provides care until you get back home for continued treatment. In other words, the treatment in Spain, using an EHIC, may not be complete as you are expected to go home for the rest.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> But if you use an EHIC repeatedly, UK will assume you are living here and withdraw the use of the EHIC which means you will have to pay the full cost. You really need a long-term health insurance.


Not if they are genuinely here on holiday & can prove that they aren't here full time - even if they take several 1 or 2 month holidays a year.

It's more likely that Spain would at some point refuse to accept the card if they felt that they were living here & they'd be charged. If they can prove that they don't live here they would (eventually) be reimbursed.

I believe that as far as the UK is concerned, you don't cease to be resident unless you spend more than 6 cumulative months of the year outside the country.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> No problem, I absolutely agree.
> 
> It's a _*Certificate of Registration*_ and not a *certificate of residency*.
> 
> ...


When my dad was here on holiday & became ill, & was unable to travel back to the UK, was in fact told by the consultant that he mustn't do so, at a bit past the 3 month point the hospital contacted me to say that we would from then on have to pay for his care (oxygen therapy & a couple of hospital stays), because he was now considered resident & the EHIC could no longer be used.

After much discussion, we managed to persuade my dad that he should register as resident, (not easy with an 85 year old who had never left England before!) ordered the S1 etc. In the interim the hospital held off charging us. 

For some reason the S1 took a loooong time to arrive & sadly my dad died just before it did. We were never charged for his treatment, so I don't know for sure if the EHIC did cover him while we were getting his paperwork sorted out.

My point really though, is that if someone is here for more than 3 months, even if they _can't _return home, the system here rejects the S1 at that time. Or it did 4 years ago.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Aside from the valuable info you have given, as always , I certainly feel for you and your family. Poor man must have been dreadful for him. It's tough enough at any age being ill away from home but to end his days through illness away from all his familiar surroundings is tragic. You have my thoughts.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Aside from the valuable info you have given, as always , I certainly feel for you and your family. Poor man must have been dreadful for him. It's tough enough at any age being ill away from home but to end his days through illness away from all his familiar surroundings is tragic. You have my thoughts.


But he was with his family, which he wouldn't have been in the UK. He had a few happy months with us, despite being ill.  


The UK, 5 months later, did send me a 10k GBP bill when my husband, as resident of Spain (without an EHIC ) , died in hospital there 

Thankfully the insurance paid up......


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

I understand that having family there was most important.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

emlyn said:


> Thank you for that link


You're welcome.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

To Xabia, snickpoh:
There were cases in recent years where the UK refused to pay Spain for treatments under EHIC in your part of Spain (Valencia/Murcia, etc.) because they had been used too frequently (in the eyes of DWP/HMRC/UK) for them to have been used (in their opinion) by people holidaying so the people must be resident and the EHIC was not valid.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> To Xabia, snickpoh:
> There were cases in recent years where the UK refused to pay Spain for treatments under EHIC in your part of Spain (Valencia/Murcia, etc.) because they had been used too frequently (in the eyes of DWP/HMRC/UK) for them to have been used (in their opinion) by people holidaying so the people must be resident and the EHIC was not valid.


do you have a link to where you read this?

I would think that the users of the EHIC would have been out of the UK more than in, for the UK to decide that they are no longer resident - as I posted - & that the people concerned couldn't prove that they were indeed resident

If someone is taking lots of holidays & is still resident (by the UK rules) in the UK, then the bill will be paid. There will always be cases where there is doubt, but they are rare, afaik.

Sadly some genuine holidaymakers are refused treatment because of others who have in fact no longer been resident in the UK, accessing healthcare with the EHIC


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> do you have a link to where you read this?
> 
> I would think that the users of the EHIC would have been out of the UK more than in, for the UK to decide that they are no longer resident - as I posted - & that the people concerned couldn't prove that they were indeed resident
> 
> ...


It was about four or five years ago (it may have been on this forum) and I think the persons concerned could not prove they were not resident in Spain and were, indeed, just frequent visitors.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> It was about four or five years ago (it may have been on this forum) and I think the persons concerned could not prove they were not resident in Spain and were, indeed, just frequent visitors.


Probably they were resident in Spain then......


All they would have had to do is prove that they had travelled back & forth, & had been in the UK most of the time. Even if they'd been driving they would have had chunnell or ferry tickets, & would have had to have bought fuel.


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