# Private healthcare with a pre existing illness



## Janeym8 (Mar 8, 2013)

As the title says 
how easy and expensive is private healthcare when you have an illness?
.hubby has type two diabetes and,although i should be entitled to an S1 i have MS so would eventually need it also
Are the premiums hiked up because of pre existing conditions?
I tried to get a quote online before but came back really expensive and then i kept getting emails from them so dont want to do it again before its needed
I am 46 and hubby is 54
We are just about to put out house on the market here in UK
Thanks

Jane xx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Janeym8 said:


> As the title says
> how easy and expensive is private healthcare when you have an illness?
> .hubby has type two diabetes and,although i should be entitled to an S1 i have MS so would eventually need it also
> Are the premiums hiked up because of pre existing conditions?
> ...


have you looked in our http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html

there are some comparison websites which might give you an idea at least


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Janeym8 said:


> As the title says
> how easy and expensive is private healthcare when you have an illness?
> .hubby has type two diabetes and,although i should be entitled to an S1 i have MS so would eventually need it also
> Are the premiums hiked up because of pre existing conditions?
> ...


Are you on incapacity benefit? if so you would receive it out here and your husband would be also entitled, on the back of your benefit. Of course you may have to make trips back to the UK for reassessment, and as the whole benefit system is undergoing change, the first thing you should do is phone the DWP for info.


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

Janeym8 said:


> As the title says
> how easy and expensive is private healthcare when you have an illness?
> .hubby has type two diabetes and,although i should be entitled to an S1 i have MS so would eventually need it also
> Are the premiums hiked up because of pre existing conditions?
> ...


Pre-existing conditions are only covered by corporate private health insurance. You would have no problem in obtaining a personal contract, but unfortunately your pre-existing conditions would be excluded.


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## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

crookesey said:


> Pre-existing conditions are only covered by corporate private health insurance. You would have no problem in obtaining a personal contract, but unfortunately your pre-existing conditions would be excluded.


The problem we had is that they not only refuse to cover your pre existing conditions, they excluded anything that might be linked to it. My husband was on tablets for blood pressure, had perfect blood pressure for years as a result of the medication, but Sanitas were very honest with us and said we could have a policy at a high cost but it probably wasn't worth it as anything linked to blood pressure eg heart problems, strokes etc would be excluded. It's a real pain! Make sure you get some fine detail on any exclusions before you sign up.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

With serious conditions like mentioned, they are usually permanently excluded. Some of the insurance companies will exclude_ some _previous for a period, i.e. 12 months, but it tends to be less serious previous operations / treatment


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

Just a thought, a guy from back home took out a private health plan with Marbella General Hospital. I understand that they have a private wing for this, but can't tell you any more, perhaps a visit to a Spanish hospital near to you would be more informative.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

crookesey said:


> Just a thought, a guy from back home took out a private health plan with Marbella General Hospital. I understand that they have a private wing for this, but can't tell you any more, perhaps a visit to a Spanish hospital near to you would be more informative.


Yes thats an idea. I have it in the back of my mind that someone took out something direct with Centro Medico which covered them for doctors or hospitals, but iirc it was limited.

Private health and existing conditions dont sit well hand in hand unfortunately. Even annual travel insurance gets very limited and expensive, as I found to my detriment after I fractured my skull a few years back


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## rangitoto (Apr 25, 2011)

we were with wpa and now have moved over to pru health whic has covered my existing condtions i take meds for blood presure and as said if you have a problem through this wpa i was not covered but this is covered with pru health and was also cheaper for better cover


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

Might I ask if either of you will be working/paying tax/social security etc? I appreciate that you both have serious health issues, but just thought it best to clarify.


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## Janeym8 (Mar 8, 2013)

Neither of us will be working.i have an nhs pension and hubby is my carer although i manage most things a lot of the time.i get dla and hubby carers allowance.we are selling our house so will have funds before people start saying its no good to come with no jobs etc.sorry that sounds bad but ive noticed on a lot of posts,not necessarily this forum, the minute someone says no job people can start. With the dont come unless you have a job speeches.
If our conditions are not covered what do people then do if they have problems related to their conditions and would it then be costly?would any meds required for these illnesses be available to us ?
BTW hubby only recently dignosed so when we started looking into moving to Spain a few years ago this wasnt an issue
Thanks

Jane


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

I'm trying to thing around corners and keep coming back to start. My advice is to contact a major municipal hospital and get the full schedule of costs and cover of their own private scheme.


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## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

Janeym8 said:


> Neither of us will be working.i have an nhs pension and hubby is my carer although i manage most things a lot of the time.i get dla and hubby carers allowance.we are selling our house so will have funds before people start saying its no good to come with no jobs etc.sorry that sounds bad but ive noticed on a lot of posts,not necessarily this forum, the minute someone says no job people can start. With the dont come unless you have a job speeches.
> If our conditions are not covered what do people then do if they have problems related to their conditions and would it then be costly?would any meds required for these illnesses be available to us ?
> BTW hubby only recently dignosed so when we started looking into moving to Spain a few years ago this wasnt an issue
> Thanks
> ...


The Pru health and hospital options mentioned are worth exploring. If you can't get the conditions covered by some sort of insurance your only option would be to register with a private doctor and pay for any treatments needed. You would be able to get meds no problem, we've found the medicines here are often better than the ones we had in UK but even if you have private insurance you usually have to pay full price for them. Your S1 will cover you for a period after you arrive make sure you get your husband's name on it as a dependant then you can both get state healthcare for a period which should be enough to meet the residency requirements, best check this. DOuble check with DWP if you can get any entitlement to transfer of state heathcare with your benefits as you can with a pension. Just another thought, there was a change in the law last year about residents being entitled to healthcare, maybe someone else on here cleverer than me will be able to find it and explain it for you. If you can just get residency it may apply to you I don't know. 
On another issue entirely, I don't want to add to your worries but you should read the threads on here about tax residency. You said you were putting the house on the market- take care with your timing if you spend more than 182 days in Spain in the same calendar year you sell your house the Spanish taxman could expect you to pay capital gains tax on any profit you've made on the sale. There was a thread about this a couple of months ago. Best of luck


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

It's a pity that the Pru don't have a 'sistering' agreement with a Spanish insurer, I am not aware of any such agreements.


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## Janeym8 (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks for all your replies.more stuff for us to look at and work through lol

Jane xx


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

Is there any reason why, when the OP and her other half officially reside in Spain, that they can't pay voluntary social security payments in order to give them access to Spanish healthcare?

Just a thought.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

crookesey said:


> Is there any reason why, when the OP and her other half officially reside in Spain, that they can't pay voluntary social security payments in order to give them access to Spanish healthcare?
> 
> Just a thought.



Yes - very simply, Spain to not allow it.

I know because I've looked into it extensively.

Some will tell you that the Government are looking into it, but I wouldn't bank on it being introduced in your lifetime!


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

I just get used to folk entering the UK from the planet Zircon, and automatically qualifying for more benefits than an indigenous Brit.


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