# Help needed - emergency medical care and Spanish EHIC



## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone can help or advise?

My Mum, who is a British Expat in Spain, 73 (so a pensioner) and has Spanish residency, entitled to Spanish Health Care, has a Spanish GP etc, etc, was taken ill while visiting us in England. She has a UK issued EHIC which was apparently the wrong thing, since the legislation changed April 2015. 

We have been told she must have a Spanish EHIC card, so the UK can bill Spain for the care, but my Dad was told by the Social Security department that they won't issue these for UK pensioners any more. 

On googling all this, my understanding is that early retirees are having problems but at 73 my Mum is entitled to a Spanish Card. We have been assured by the UK hospital staff member dealing with this that she IS entitled to the card, but if they won't issue it what can we do?

We tried applying online and it came back that the application can't be processed. I don't know the reason, but do know there is a list of things preventing you applying online. 

Also, I think to apply in person then my Mum would need to do so herself, which of course she can't as she's stuck in hospital in the UK.

Anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

As I understand it, if someone is in full receipt of their UK state pension and having received their S1 form from DWP, they can apply for an EHIC from the UK.

This EHIC then allows them health care outside of Spain when on holiday. They can NOT get a TSE from Spain any more. However, you must make sure that it is an EHIC for pensioners and not just an ordinary EHIC - this may be the issue.

My advice would be to contact the DWP and get this sorted. It seems that some of the NHS may not be aware of recent changes to the rules.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> As I understand it, if someone is in full receipt of their UK state pension and having received their S1 form from DWP, they can apply for an EHIC from the UK.
> 
> This EHIC then allows them health care outside of Spain when on holiday. They can NOT get a TSE from Spain any more. However, you must make sure that it is an EHIC for pensioners and not just an ordinary EHIC - this may be the issue.
> 
> My advice would be to contact the DWP and get this sorted. It seems that some of the NHS may not be aware of recent changes to the rules.


Yes, it's a special EHIC issued by the UK to pensioners or others, who have healthcare via the S1 in another EU country, for healthcare on holiday outside the country of residence. All paid for by the UK.

The UK is paying for the healthcare in Spain. The rule changes in April 2015 meant that all pensioners are entitled to FULL ACCESS to healthcare in the UK, including planned treatment, regardless of where in the EU they live, as long as their healthcare is provided for via the S1.

snikpoh is correct - call the DWP as soon as they open. I have a sneaky feeling that she might have the wrong kind of EHIC. The one she needs isn't issued online in the same way as one for a UK resident is.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

You do NOT need an EHIC if you are UK pensioner covered under an S1 in another EU country. The regulations changed in April 2015. You just need to go and see the the Overseas Visitor Manager (OVM) , who is the person with responsibility for making the charge.

*UK state pensioners living in another EEA country
9.51 From April 2015, all pensioners in receipt of a UK state pension who are living abroad in the EEA or Switzerland and have registered an S1 form from the UK with the local authorities in their EEA country of residence, and their family members, will be able to access all healthcare in the UK as though they were ordinarily resident and should not be charged for treatment. If they present an EHIC, their EHIC information should not be entered into the portal for reimbursement. Regulation 13 of the Charging Regulations concerns this category of patient.
9.52 OVMs can check whether a patient has a registered S1 form in another EEA country by contacting the Overseas Healthcare Team at:
DWP Overseas Healthcare Team
Email: [email protected]*
[


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

CapnBilly said:


> You do NOT need an EHIC if you are UK pensioner covered under an S1 in another EU country. The regulations changed in April 2015. You just need to go and see the the Overseas Visitor Manager (OVM) , who is the person with responsibility for making the charge.
> 
> *UK state pensioners living in another EEA country
> 9.51 From April 2015, all pensioners in receipt of a UK state pension who are living abroad in the EEA or Switzerland and have registered an S1 form from the UK with the local authorities in their EEA country of residence, and their family members, will be able to access all healthcare in the UK as though they were ordinarily resident and should not be charged for treatment. If they present an EHIC, their EHIC information should not be entered into the portal for reimbursement. Regulation 13 of the Charging Regulations concerns this category of patient.
> ...



thanks - I had a niggle as I was posting that she shouldn't need the EHIC under the new rules & was just looking for the doc. Saved me some time  


To the OP - if your mum travels to other countries than the UK, she still needs to get the special EHIC though, for use in those countries.


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

Thank you everyone for your replies. We will make some more enquiries. 

Sorry to not know, but what's the DWP?

Thank you.


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

My Dad's not sure if they did fill in an S1 form (I imagine my Mum dealt with all that). Would they have had to to get the care in Spain that they have? i.e. They get care in Spain so can we assume that must have been via the S1 form?

Thanks


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Medical Advice Needed said:


> My Dad's not sure if they did fill in an S1 form (I imagine my Mum dealt with all that). Would they have had to to get the care in Spain that they have? i.e. They get care in Spain so can we assume that must have been via the S1 form?
> 
> Thanks


May be and may be not.

DWP == Department of Works and Pensions.


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

Ok great thanks. 

Thank you very much everyone, I have called the DWP and they confirm it's the S1 form she needs. If my Mum calls them and gives them her National Insurance number they will be able to tell her if she has already filled one out. If not it can be done retrospectively but she'll need to be in Spain to hand it over.

So still ongoing, but this is all very helpful, so thank you everyone. 

I'll post with the final outcome once I know.  Or more likely, with more questions first.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> DWP == Department of Works and Pensions.


This is their e-mail: [email protected]


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

If your mother is a pensioner in Spain registered for healthcare then she must have done it with an S1 as otherwise the spaniards would be paying & they wouldn't be doing that. If so then the UK pensioners EHIC should have been supplied automatically , by the UK, to her & husband in spain.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Medical Advice Needed said:


> Ok great thanks.
> 
> Thank you very much everyone, I have called the DWP and they confirm it's the S1 form she needs. If my Mum calls them and gives them her National Insurance number they will be able to tell her if she has already filled one out. If not it can be done retrospectively but she'll need to be in Spain to hand it over.
> 
> ...


Did you do as CapnBilly suggested? That ought to solve the immediate problem.


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

baldilocks said:


> This is their e-mail: [email protected]


Thank you baldilocks. I'm currently with my Mum in hospital and we are about to see if we can find somewhere private where we can make a call to the DWP so they can her National Insurance number and tell us if she has done an S1. 

Hoping to get some good news. :fingerscrossed:


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

CapnBilly said:


> You do NOT need an EHIC if you are UK pensioner covered under an S1 in another EU country. The regulations changed in April 2015. You just need to go and see the the Overseas Visitor Manager (OVM) , who is the person with responsibility for making the charge.
> 
> *UK state pensioners living in another EEA country
> 9.51 From April 2015, all pensioners in receipt of a UK state pension who are living abroad in the EEA or Switzerland and have registered an S1 form from the UK with the local authorities in their EEA country of residence, and their family members, will be able to access all healthcare in the UK as though they were ordinarily resident and should not be charged for treatment. If they present an EHIC, their EHIC information should not be entered into the portal for reimbursement. Regulation 13 of the Charging Regulations concerns this category of patient.
> ...


CapnBilly, thank you for this info, as I learn more it all starts to make sense. It is the OVM that is telling us that things have changed and the fact my Mum draws a UK pension doesn't help her with this, since April '15.

On speaking to the DWP they say the opposite and that it is since the new regs in April '15 that she is covered because of drawing her pension. They explained that she has the wrong EHIC (standard UK one, not one for pensioners living abroad), but that she doesn't actually need it for this and needs to just produce evidence of her pension entitlement. 

My Mum was told when she applied for the UK card that she wouldn't actually need to show it for treatment in the UK or in Spain, but she would in other EU countries. This all makes sense now and is correct, it's just she ended up getting the wrong card somehow. 

I don't think the OVM will listen to me telling her this info, but the DWP told me to ask her to call them stating my Mum's ref number, they will make a note of my call, and will let the OVM know what the new regulations are. Hopefully coming from the DWP she will realise her understanding of the new regs is incorrect. 

Need to wait until Monday now. 



xabiachica said:


> Did you do as CapnBilly suggested? That ought to solve the immediate problem.


Only just saw your post xabiachica. See above  



I seriously can't thank everyone on here enough. Before posting here we were chasing a route that would have seen my Mum being billed for tens of thousands of £££'s It's not resolved yet, but looking promising!!  THANK YOU!!!


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

gus-lopez said:


> If your mother is a pensioner in Spain registered for healthcare then she must have done it with an S1 as otherwise the spaniards would be paying & they wouldn't be doing that. If so then the UK pensioners EHIC should have been supplied automatically , by the UK, to her & husband in spain.


Thanks gus-lopez, and yes you are correct. The DWP have confirmed that she filled in her S1 form on the date they moved to Spain.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Is this any use?
New! Guide to Using your EHIC Anywhere! | Healthcare in Spain


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Madliz said:


> Is this any use?
> New! Guide to Using your EHIC Anywhere! | Healthcare in Spain


That's for the EHIC for UK residents, not for residents of another EU country who have their healthcare paid by the UK via an S1


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Medical Advice Needed said:


> I don't think the OVM will listen to me telling her this info, but the DWP told me to ask her to call them stating my Mum's ref number, they will make a note of my call, and will let the OVM know what the new regulations are. Hopefully coming from the DWP she will realise her understanding of the new regs is incorrect.


Bit worrying that the person responsible is not aware of the change, considering it's over 9 months ago, and was well trailed for at least a year. The information I provided was extracted from the published guidance for OVMs. Wonder how many people she has wrongly charged, who have just paid up.


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

CapnBilly said:


> Bit worrying that the person responsible is not aware of the change, considering it's over 9 months ago, and was well trailed for at least a year. The information I provided was extracted from the published guidance for OVMs. Wonder how many people she has wrongly charged, who have just paid up.


Mmm my thoughts exactly. I really can't fault the care my Mum has received, they certainly saved her life and all the staff were ever so nice, friendly, compassionate, understanding etc, etc. The care could not have been better. 

However when my Mum learnt about this she was understandably distressed and was then threatening to discharge herself so as to not incur further charges. Bearing in mind she's 73 and suffered type 2 respiratory failure after a chest infection combined with COPD turned into pneumonia, and at this point still had a bad infection that they were trying to find the right antibiotics to tackle and was still on oxygen. Mad, to so unnecessarily put her through that stress.

I can only hope that they haven't had any other pensioners in this situation, and that from now on in the problem won't arise.


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## sdj101 (Apr 11, 2015)

Hopefully now the 'bill' is sorted your Mum will feel much better soon and can get on with her life and return to Spain.

Good luck.


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## Medical Advice Needed (Jan 22, 2016)

Thank you everyone!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!! Until Friday morning when I woke up to all your replies with the correct info we had no clue how things worked and were chasing a complete dead end after being assured by the hospital that we needed to apply for a Spanish issued EHIC. Which of course we couldn't get!

I feel we now have closure after receiving this from the OVM at the hospital:

"*Yes I have, everything is fine your Mum has an S1 certificate which she can use in the Uk. If I need anything else I will come back to you I just need to check tomorrow if I need a copy of this.

Have a good night.

Regards*"

You all literally saved us what we think would have been around £20,000 

THANKS


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