National Health Scheme

[MartinEB]

On the subject of translators at hospitals, I came across this:

http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/servicio ... DyD_EN.pdf



The third para down reads:



Which is all well and good but if you turn up at hospital and can't understand what they are saying you are snookered!

[Trooperman]

Yeh! But that poster probably ticks a few boxes in the EU directives' compliance list

[fyfin]

Is this a National number or just for a particular region?

[MartinEB]

We simply have the telephone number in our mobile (953011080) and phone it if/when we need it when sat in front of the doctor.

Is this a National number or just for a particular region?

I assume you are referring to the "Junta de Andalucia" Salud Responde telephone number? which is, as you'd imagine for Andalucia!

[fyfin]

lol - jumped in too quick without looking properly. Of course it is.

[TorreDelAguila]

Hospital Comarcal in Velez-Malaga has translators available for most of the time. Just look for their desk when you enter.

[gerryh]

We simply have the telephone number in our mobile (953011080) and phone it if/when we need it when sat in front of the doctor.

Does this service still exist?
Might need to use it next Tuesday if it does.
Cheers
Gerry

[1bassleft]

If you are a pensioner, or regarded as a pensioner because of, say, incapacity benefit in the UK then you and your spouse, irrespective of their age, will be regarded as pensioners here in Spain and will get health cover when you become permanent residents.
Cheers
Gerry

Just in case you may know... Mrs bassleft left teaching at 59 and is 63 now, and receives payments from TP (Teacher's Pension scheme) but no state retirement pension as yet. I'm younger, but left at the same time. We've paid for private health insurance in Spain since residency in Jan 2020. Do you think being in receipt of TP at her age would qualify as "regarded as a pensioner" or is it only state pension + similar, not public service pension schemes that would make the grade?

[Pamela1]

As far as i'm aware you have to be in receipt of state pension which would then enable yourselves to apply for a certificate of entitlement to state health care paid for by the Uk...( S1 form ) If i'm wrong i'm sure someone will correct me.
There is info on the Uk gov website.

[Lyric]

That is my understanding, either of you have to be in receipt of a state pension to proceed. Once one of you is in receipt then the, usually younger, can "piggy back" and also qualify. UK GOV is the place to look.

[jogger]

If you are a pensioner, or regarded as a pensioner because of, say, incapacity benefit in the UK then you and your spouse, irrespective of their age, will be regarded as pensioners here in Spain and will get health cover when you become permanent residents.
Cheers
Gerry

Just in case you may know... Mrs bassleft left teaching at 59 and is 63 now, and receives payments from TP (Teacher's Pension scheme) but no state retirement pension as yet. I'm younger, but left at the same time. We've paid for private health insurance in Spain since residency in Jan 2020. Do you think being in receipt of TP at her age would qualify as "regarded as a pensioner" or is it only state pension + similar, not public service pension schemes that would make the grade?

I'm in a similar situation to your wife, occupational pension just below state pension age (64) and it's a case of waiting until receipt of my old age pension, then get my S1.
219€ a month until then for private healthcare.

[Free at Last]

As the others have said, it is being in receipt of the state retirement pension (not any kind of occupational pension, even Crown ones) which makes a British citizen eligible for an S1 form to cover the cost of their public healthcare in Spain. When we came to Spain my husband was 57 and I was 50. At that time we were able to get what were known as residual S1 forms (based on our NI contribution records) which covered us for the first two years and when those ran out we needed private health insurance. the UK stopped issuing residual S1s in around 2014 though. My husband became entitled to his state pension at 65 and I was then able to get an S1 as well as his dependant. I will become a state pensioner myself in a few weeks' time and will then need to get a new S1 as a pensioner in my own right, and register that with the INSS.

[elusive]

If you are on some disability benefits this also allows you to have an S1 aswell if below OAP age

[1bassleft]

Thanks for the replies and clarifications. We both have private no-copay insurance, and I did think we'd have to continue (actually seems a reasonable deal, except we currently have no call for it) but I thought I'd check. Special thanks for FaL's pinpoint "even Crown ones". The thread has already enlightened me that in time I can hope to slide in under Mrs Bassleft's skirts rather than keep stumping for private. Thanks again.

[Wicksey]

Presumably it is when you are actually in receipt of the state pension, as it's 66 now?

[1bassleft]

That's what I assume, Wicksey (or she, in this case. I did think that I would by necessity have to continue with private, until reading this thread, so I've learned something useful).

[Free at Last]

Yes, everybody who replied to 1bassleft said that it is being in receipt of the state pension which gives entitlement to an S1. The UK state retirement age is currently 66 but is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028, phased in according to date of birth (see page 3 of this link). It will increase again to 68 but not until 2044-2046 (well at the moment they say that but who knows?).

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... etable.pdf

[jogger]

Thanks for the replies and clarifications. We both have private no-copay insurance, and I did think we'd have to continue (actually seems a reasonable deal, except we currently have no call for it) but I thought I'd check. Special thanks for FaL's pinpoint "even Crown ones". The thread has already enlightened me that in time I can hope to slide in under Mrs Bassleft's skirts rather than keep stumping for private. Thanks again.

We have the same type of insurance, which so far we have only had dental check ups but i wouldn't say we have no call for it,as who knows. Most of the time with health insurance, people don't currently have call for it however i wouldn't tempt fate and cancel it.

[Manchesteral]

My comprehensive insurance with Sanitas is 1716 euros per year including dental care !