# convenio especial



## nearly (Jul 28, 2015)

Hi,
Can anyone tell me if they have joined the Spanish NHS via convenio especial.

How does it work
What does it entitlement the payer to

I saw it mentioned 60eur per month, is this correct and does it change every year ?

Thanks
Neil


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Some info here
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain#purchasing-public-health-insurance


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

One thing which isn't mentioned in the link is that in order to be able to pay in via the convenio especial, you need to have been registered as a resident in Spain for at least one year.

The monthly costs haven't been increased each year since the scheme was introduced, but of course they may go up at some time in the future.


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

Interesting choice of words in the guidance "
This form of cover doesn’t give holders the right to an EHIC at this time, so if you wish to travel, you will need to take out private travel insurance. "
Does this mean that if you have an EHIC card you have to give it up?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Calas felices said:


> Interesting choice of words in the guidance "
> This form of cover doesn’t give holders the right to an EHIC at this time, so if you wish to travel, you will need to take out private travel insurance. "
> Does this mean that if you have an EHIC card you have to give it up?


As anyone covered under the convenio especial has to be a registered resident in Spain, then if they hold an EHIC card issued by the UK they shouldn't be using it anyway.

Until my husband became a state pensioner, we weren't entitled to an EHIC card from either the UK or Spain, whilst we had private medical insurance. So people paying into the convenio especial will be in the same position.


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

nearly said:


> Hi,
> Can anyone tell me if they have joined the Spanish NHS via convenio especial.
> 
> How does it work
> ...


I would also be interested in knowing if anyone has managed to obtain health cover via the "Convenio especial" because I have just been reading various links and it seems as though this is only available for Spanish residents who are working but for some reason are not part of the "Regimen General", are early retirees or have a degree of incapacity. However, according to the link Pesky kindly posted, here in Galicia they can get healthcare after being on the padrón for at least 183 days, under the "Programa Galego de Protección Social da saúde pública" which is the same as before, being a legal resident you have to provide a letter of non-entitlement from the UK and prove your income is below the IPREM. But if you click on the link to Galicia (I haven't clicked on the others) it is clearly NOT the convenio especial in spite of the information on the link from the UK government.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Neil, you must be less than 65 years of age to pay 57 € a month and when 65, it jumps to 157€ all by bank draft. Each region has its own rules on it. My wife and I started to get hit pretty hard by private insurance cost and we switched to the Convenio Especial. You must have lived here for a year to qualify. The benefits include basic healthcare which amounts to about everything the Spaniards get without pharmacy or general transport for non emergency stuff. We just paid a friend here a few Euros to run our paperwork through and waited for a bit and keep in mind that the wait for non emergent care can be frustrating. Any more questions? Just ask!


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

That's interesting so people who can't retire until 66 or later, will see there costs for convenio especial, rise from 60 to 157 € per month.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

But, if you look at the numbers, private insurance costs much more than that


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