# Diabetes



## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Hi everyone our daughter is relocating to cyprus with us very shortly, and she is a type one diabetic can anyone please tell us if she will get her insulin for free as she does here in the uk, she is 47 years old and is hoping to find work out there as a fully qualified senior care assistant qualified up to management level.
Also if it is not free what is the approx cost of her medication I am thinking of the cost of a prescription here in the uk how does that balance out.
Many thanks
Blue Harvey


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Someone else can correct me if I am wrong, but given that she has had over 3 years of public healthcare via the NHS, I believe she would be eligable for public healthcare in Cyprus too. 

At least that is what I have been told elsewhere.


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## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks Zach 21 she will be pleased to hear that thanks for the info


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Hopefully another one of the members here can verify this. There is some paperwork involved for which I am not aware of the process.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

zach21uk said:


> Someone else can correct me if I am wrong, but given that she has had over 3 years of public healthcare via the NHS, I believe she would be eligable for public healthcare in Cyprus too.
> 
> At least that is what I have been told elsewhere.


Hi!

Some confusions here. Insulin is not free in Cyprus, but if you are entitled to a medical card then it is very cheap. I have two different ones and it cost me 2 euro for 100 days doses.

If you work as employed or self employed and have paid in to the system in Cyprus or in any other EU country for three years, then you are entitled to public healthcare here. But if you are not working or on private pension, then you have to have private health insurance which will not cover a pre existing diabetes for sure. If so then then the insulin would cost about 2 euro per day for me.


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## Collossusx (May 23, 2014)

I'm currently on medication for under active thyroid and, I'm on statin. I've been exempt for 6 years and have a NHS medical exemption card. Do I now have to pay full cost for medication in Cyprus?


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Baywatch said:


> Hi!
> If you work as employed or self employed and have paid in to the system in Cyprus or in any other EU country for three years, then you are entitled to public healthcare here.


Being from the UK, she would have been paying into the system there which gets her NHS, so that would make her eligable for the public healthcare.

Sucks that insulin isn't covered under that, but at least its not ridiculously expensive.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

zach21uk said:


> Being from the UK, she would have been paying into the system there which gets her NHS, so that would make her eligable for the public healthcare.
> 
> Sucks that insulin isn't covered under that, but at least its not ridiculously expensive.


But as I said, she must work and pay in to the Cyprus system


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

You said "or in any other EU country". You mean its valid only in the EU country where you've paid? I.e. its not transferable from EU country to EU country?


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

zach21uk said:


> You said "or in any other EU country". You mean its valid only in the EU country where you've paid? I.e. its not transferable from EU country to EU country?


The contributions to the social system can have been done in any other EU country. But to qualify for public healthcare in Cyprus, you must work in some way and pay in to the system here. 

If you are on state pension, then the country that pay out your pension will pay Cyprus for your healthcare.


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Ahhhh, understood. Thanks for explaining.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Baywatch said:


> The contributions to the social system can have been done in any other EU country. But to qualify for public healthcare in Cyprus, you must work in some way and pay in to the system here.
> 
> If you are on state pension, then the country that pay out your pension will pay Cyprus for your healthcare.


It is also important to remember that the healthcare provided, is the same level as the Cypriots get, not the level you had in your home country, if there is any difference


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## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks everyone for all your input much appreciated and very helpfull 
Blue Harvey


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

zach21uk said:


> Being from the UK, she would have been paying into the system there which gets her NHS, so that would make her eligable for the public healthcare.
> 
> Sucks that insulin isn't covered under that, but at least its not ridiculously expensive.


No she will not be eligible unless she is in receipt of UK government retirement pension or is working and paying into the social fund.


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## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks for that veronica much appreciated .blue harvey


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## mdekkers (Jul 3, 2013)

Collossusx said:


> I'm currently on medication for under active thyroid and, I'm on statin. I've been exempt for 6 years and have a NHS medical exemption card. Do I now have to pay full cost for medication in Cyprus?


I am on thyroid medication, and buy it outright in the pharmacy. Been waiting for ages for the forms from the UK to prove paying into the NHS so I can get a medical card. Thyroxine is very cheap here though, and isn't a prescription medication. anyone can buy it...

Martijn :ranger:


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## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks for that martin


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## Collossusx (May 23, 2014)

Did you have an exemption card already in the UK?


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## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Collossusx said:


> Did you have an exemption card already in the UK?


It's for my daughter and yes she does have the exemption card here in the uk
Thanks collossusx


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## Collossusx (May 23, 2014)

So in order for me to get free medical prescription for my thyroid, I need to get a form from the NHS and present it to the Cypriot health service?


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Collossusx said:


> So in order for me to get free medical prescription for my thyroid, I need to get a form from the NHS and present it to the Cypriot health service?


As I understand it, you never get totally free medication, but with a medical card it will cost you 50 cent per medicine and prescription. But only on the general hospital


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## blue harvey (Aug 30, 2012)

Baywatch said:


> As I understand it, you never get totally free medication, but with a medical card it will cost you 50 cent per medicine and prescription. But only on the general hospital


That's great news thank you so much
Blue harvey


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## Collossusx (May 23, 2014)

Thank you for that info.


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