16 year olds in Spain

[DecorDiva]

My middle daughter has just turned 16 and has left school. A few questions, what does she do now regarding her status, she has always for example been covered under my social security for medical, etc does she now have to register herself? If she is still to be covered under the social security system but currently is not working, how can she do this? Any advice would be appreciated

[Mr Mojo Rising]

My middle daughter has just turned 16 and has left school.

Left school to do what??

The answer to your questions depends on what she intends to do!!!

[DecorDiva]

Well she is continuing her studies at the moment with some private tutors and just helping me with the business. She would like to eventually work on a magazine though that is her aim.

[Jool]

AS your dependant she is still covered by you I believe provided you all live at the same address?

[DecorDiva]

Yes she lives with me but there does appear to be a grey area when they hit this age, I have an older daughter that decided to depart to the UK when she was 16 to study there, so I did not have this issue with her as we sorted her out in the UK.

However what bought this to light was when eldest was visiting and has her own health card for here and the UK, as she worked here for a while before leaving and had her NIE, etc. She cut her leg open whilst here and needed stitches, having gone armed with all our paperwork to the hospital I have just received a bill for 140 euros?

This is perhaps now because she lives back in the UK, I am not sure, she was only visiting here for the summer, but it worries me now that my next daughter has fallen out of our comfort zone of just assuming we can rush her down to the hospital and she will be covered.

I have spoken with many people today and my accountant thinks they are covered here under the parents SS until they are 18, others have said 16 or 17, it seems rather vague and no one seems to know. Although I do know now we have to get her own NIE now she is 16, but unless she signs on as an unemployed, which she is not as she is still studying, or I employ her and pay her SS she seems to fall out of the health care system.

Both me and my partner pay our SS (individually as we are not legally married) and I have lived here for years, but new problems seem to occur most years which we have to sort out! I have had babies here, been checked for cancer here, been divorced here, run a successful business here, but was rather put out to receive a bill for my 18 year old, and now I am wondering about the 16 year old, anyone who has been through this I would appreciate their advice.

I do not appreciate people sending in messages such as 'left school to do what' by the way, I do not appreciate the insinuation, I have met many cynical people here and have chosen not to associate with them, they are rather boring and should go back home

[Enrique]

Hi DecorDiva,
I am surprised to here that your eldest was charged for treatment, my understanding was the EHIC issued by the UK covers emergency treatment in the EU.

[peteroldracer]

Two points: firstly I think you should be a tad less touchy - the question about what the younger daughter she was going to do seems perfectly valid, as the answer to your question surely depends on whether she is to be studying, unemployed, employed etc?
Secondly, you are not clear about what card your elder daughter had - was it a valid tarjeta for the Spanish health service, from her time here, a Spanish-issued EHIC (that would only be valid for emergency treatment elsewhere in the EU, or a UK-issued EHIC, which would, as Enrique says, cover her for emergency treatment as a visitor in a Spanish national health hospital or clinic. Note that if she went to a private clinic or hospital, she would of course have to pay, and if she was here for longer than three months may well have been disqualified as a short-term visitor, so be liable for any costs of treatment.
I am pleased to see that the Spanish authorities do seem to have woken up to abuse by Brits who come here and expect to get treatment without accepting the limitations and terms & conditions. Of course when there is such a tightening up, some folk are going to get charged who shouldn't, so you may have to contest the 140€ bill.

[Enrique]

Hi,
From re-reading your post, I suspect you had too much paper work.
As your eldest was visiting from UK she should have only presented the UK EHIC.
They probable saw the Spanish details , took them, then when it came through the system , found they had expired.
Had something similar when I had a visitor who had both, having worked in Spain, but the Spanish one had expired and a Bill could have been forthcoming had they proceeded with the treatment.