Health Care

[Diane]

We live in Spain full-time and neither of us work and we are both under 60. Does anyone know what type of medical cover the E111 (or the current alternative covers). Is it just for emergencies ie broken leg etc, or can you use it for normal 'GP' type things? Do you think we need health insurance in addition to this, or is it enough to cover us for a couple of years?

Many thanks

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by Diane

We live in Spain full-time and neither of us work and we are both under 60. Does anyone know what type of medical cover the E111 (or the current alternative covers). Is it just for emergencies ie broken leg etc, or can you use it for normal 'GP' type things? Do you think we need health insurance in addition to this, or is it enough to cover us for a couple of years?

Many thanks

Your E111 is an emergency holiday cover. If you reside in Spain it is no longer valid.

So on that basis I'm afraid you have no health cover in Spain at all now, unless you had an E106 when you left the UK which would have been valid up to 2 years.

At the time either of you reach retirement age you should apply for E121 forms which will give you both full state cover

But until then you need to take out private cover, which is going to cost you about €110 a month normally

[Burriana Babs]

What is the E106? How do you get one?

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by Burriana Babs

What is the E106? How do you get one?

When you leave the UK you get an E106 from DWP Newcastle, which based on your previous NI contributions gives you an amount of state cover in Spain. Its lodged with the Seguridas offices to get you a temporary SIP card. You need to call DWP but if you've already been here for a time it might be that you dont qualify any more

[Burriana Babs]

Thanks for the info.

[kronos]

I know that regardless of what your status is in Spain (working or not, legal or not), you can't be refused care in an emergency situation. But if you don't have coverage through social security and you need to see a doctor for a non-emergency, you need to pay and see a private doctor. It's not too expensive, though (maybe 50 euros for a consultation in Madrid). And if it's something fairly minor for which you just need medicine, you may even be fine just going to a farmacia and telling them your symptoms...

kronos