# Convenio Especial in Catalonia?



## andyviola (Aug 11, 2018)

Hello, new to this forum so bear with us if following question already asked as I am not converssant with search tools so far 

We are hoping to move to Spain (house sale permitteed) and will be early retirees and dont plan or expect to work. 

Healthcare - I read the below in FAQ. Can anyone tell me if "Convenio Especial" is available in *Catalonia*? (gov.uk site hasnt listed that region yet  for this scheme )
_In some regions there is now a ‘buy in’ scheme to state healthcare, known as the convenio especial, which means that once you have been a registered resident for 12 months, you can use the state system for a monthly fee_


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

andyviola said:


> Hello, new to this forum so bear with us if following question already asked as I am not converssant with search tools so far
> 
> We are hoping to move to Spain (house sale permitteed) and will be early retirees and dont plan or expect to work.
> 
> ...


:welcome:
Yes, it is / has been available in cataluña Formalización del convenio especial de prestación de la asistencia sanitaria. CatSalut. Servicio Catalán de la Salud

However.... take a look at these threads in the light of very recent law changes 

https://www.expatforum.com/expats/s...56-convenio-especial-no-longer-available.html

https://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/1452352-free-healthcare.html


----------



## andyviola (Aug 11, 2018)

wow, ok!

Fingers crossed, will be checking back in 6 weeks


----------



## andyviola (Aug 11, 2018)

OK so law has been passed

cant post link just yet but google "spanish universal health" then click News then 3rd article (Latin American Herald Tribune) 

however I am not sure from this whether it is just restoring free healthcare for immigrants in an "irregular situation" as it calls them?


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

andyviola said:


> OK so law has been passed
> 
> cant post link just yet but google "spanish universal health" then click News then 3rd article (Latin American Herald Tribune)
> 
> however I am not sure from this whether it is just restoring free healthcare for immigrants in an "irregular situation" as it calls them?


Yes it has been passed. 

Read the last of the links I gave you for up to date info.


----------



## andyviola (Aug 11, 2018)

wow (again) 

Yes to see posts where people being told it's free is absolutely awesome.

What an amazing piece of good news for expats and expats-to-be, probably the first in a while?


----------



## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

as I understand this, healthcare is only fee for spanish nationals, foreigners who work here and foreigners who are here illegally. Foreigners who are here legally but are not working must provide their own healthcare.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Michael Kelly said:


> as I understand this, healthcare is only fee for spanish nationals, foreigners who work here and foreigners who are here illegally. Foreigners who are here legally but are not working must provide their own healthcare.


The law changed on 31/7/2018

take a look at the ''free healthcare'' thread.


----------



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Michael Kelly said:


> as I understand this, healthcare is only fee for spanish nationals, foreigners who work here and foreigners who are here illegally. Foreigners who are here legally but are not working must provide their own healthcare.




You obviously have not read the new royal decree that provides free healthcare for residents, (not citizens). Each autonomous community is now forming policy on qualifying. In Malaga, Convenio Especial payments are being returned as well as in Andalucía, Here in Aragon we are just waiting. It should be completed rather quickly. The decree states that Convenio Especial remains in effect till the final day of July. The Convenio Especial is the way for some of us to have healthcare.

I was the person who informed our INSS office that the decree existed in the first place. Also, our office in Zaragoza just simply stated that the Convenio existed as is. Apparently they knew nothing either,

What the Decree has done is return the healthcare status to pre April 2012 status. /SNIP/

I was just chastised by the powers that be on this forum so I guess you are on your own. They are pretty strict about referral to other forums, sorry. My bad!


----------



## andyviola (Aug 11, 2018)

I suspect the dust needs to settle and methinks it settles slowly in spain ....


----------



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

andyviola said:


> I suspect the dust needs to settle and methinks it settles slowly in spain ....




EVERYTHING goes slow here


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------

