Medical Insurance for Retired Couple?

[manxman]

Hi Everyone! I'm a new member and as you will see from my user name I am originally from the Isle of Man so I'm used to living on an island - with all the nuances it brings. However, my wife and I left the UK to live in South Africa and have spent 30-odd years here with a two-year spell back on the island in the middle - we couldn't re-adjust to British weather and other attitudes and returned to SA. Obviously we're used to the sunshine and that is why we are thinking of coming to live in Cyprus, to be closer to family in our retirement.
Here in SA we get excellent medical insurance for Euro250 per month which includes 50% of your medicines, and total cover for all major hospital procedures but, on following up a lot of insurances on the web, the best we seem to come up with, covering pre-existing conditions (we both have hypotension), is the Europ Assistance scheme at Euro635 per month. Can anyone tell us what it costs to be covered in Cyprus, are there local companies - even if it's just for a Hospital Plan? Obviously the only thing that would wipe-out all your savings would be a "dreaded disease" operation and we would like to insure against that! We are 65/63 years of age.
We came to Cyprus for two weeks in Dec 07/ Jan 08, staying in Lanarka, Nikoklea and Polis and driving 2000km in those two weeks to check out the island. Loved the villages 3 to 10 km from the coast with minimum developement like Nikoklea, Kouklia, Lysos, Drouseia, etc above the humidity belt and will be coming back soon on another recce to check out property. We were told by several Cypriots and Brits that you could live quite comfortably on Euro1500 per month if you owned your own house - true or false? Living normally, that is (I know, what's normal?! but you know what I mean!). getting figures is the only way you can work out costs!

[JCR]

Hi I'll watch your thread with interest as it mirrors my own concern . I also need medication for high blood pressure and am interested in details of cost of medical schemes and drugs . I understand that to retire to the island we need to show an income of CY£12000 pa. which is a little more than the figure you quote . We are planning on moving over in the autumn . to rent before deciding whether and where to buy but its good to find out as much as possible before hand . JCR

[Chris & Andrea]

Surprised there has not been a better response to this question?
Obviously a lot depends on both age and pre-existing conditions, but we were told basic health care insurance is reasonable and the quality of medical/nursing care very good. Something we were keen to find out about having first looked at Crete as a place to live and been put off by horror stories of family members being responsible for attending to the basic nursing needs of those unfortunate to end up on a hospital ward. even to the point of sleeping in a chair on the ward.
As far as we've been told for day to day health care, prescription drugs are apparently cheaper in Cyprus; as are visits to the local optician?
C&A

[jeffrey Streets]

Hi,
I may be wrong but is medical cover not free for retired persons because of EU regulations.

[manxman]

Originally Posted by JCR

Hi I'll watch your thread with interest as it mirrors my own concern . I also need medication for high blood pressure and am interested in details of cost of medical schemes and drugs . I understand that to retire to the island we need to show an income of CY£12000 pa. which is a little more than the figure you quote . We are planning on moving over in the autumn . to rent before deciding whether and where to buy but its good to find out as much as possible before hand . JCR

Hi JCR. I think the figure that the Cyprus Government require for a couple to become permanent residents and to retire on is E20 503 per annum, but the figure of E1 500 per month is what locals told me would be a comfortable budget - of course, you would need at least 10% more than this so your capital could keep on growing to allow for inflation. Regarding the medical costs, there seems to be a sliding scale of medical aid being free to a household earning under E17 000 per annum, and 50% costs between E17 000 and E23 920 income. I have, however, read that EU pensioners get their medical aid free! But there does seem to be an agreement amongst locals that private healthcare would be far better than that supplied by the government and I think most expats have these policies - in which case you can expect to pay E400 to E500 per month + the cost of medicines. I have a list of 2 209 prescription prices for Cyprus but it was for 2006 (I think I got it from the Cyprus Mail) and my two pills - Atacand Plus and Co-Renitec - cost over E40 per month then, so E50 per month now. Which is why I'm trying to find out these costs as they could form a substantial part of your retirement funds! How good is the NHS now?! Maybe a local will answer this thread... Regards, Alan.

[manxman]

Originally Posted by Chris & Andrea

Surprised there has not been a better response to this question?
Obviously a lot depends on both age and pre-existing conditions, but we were told basic health care insurance is reasonable and the quality of medical/nursing care very good. Something we were keen to find out about having first looked at Crete as a place to live and been put off by horror stories of family members being responsible for attending to the basic nursing needs of those unfortunate to end up on a hospital ward. even to the point of sleeping in a chair on the ward.
As far as we've been told for day to day health care, prescription drugs are apparently cheaper in Cyprus; as are visits to the local optician?
C&A

Hi C&A. We went to Sitea and Ierapetra in eastern Crete before visiting Cyprus last December. Very ruggedly beautiful but basically a building site in progress! We have heard the same public health stories as you and have read that Greece has the reputation of the worst healthcare in the EU. The cost of prescription drugs in Cyprus are certainly more expensive than they are in South Africa, as are optical prices. The Cyprus Tourist Board pushes "optical tourism", claiming big savings to be made compared to other EU countries but we thought the cost of frames were very high, maybe the lenses and eye-tests are cheaper?
Next month we are going to Malta/Gozo to check that out, I know that permanent residents there get free medical aid, the 5th best in the world, according to WHO. Will keep you all posted!!
Regards, Alan

[JCR]

Thanks Alan , I understand that EU pensioners have to be over 65 to get reciprocal health services, so for a few years at least we would need a healthcare scheme in place , and it seems likely that we would want to continue with this post 65. The costs of medicines is certainly significant in deciding upon retirement locations .Regards Jim ( JCR)