[Crudenbay lass]

I am looking at taking early retirement next year and move to the La Nocia area just outside Benidorm. Having read through several posts on here NOT going to sell my house but rent it out and rent in Spain. I am 62 pretty healthy except high blood pressure and seeking advice as to how I arrange to get free medical treatment, or do I have to take out some form of medical insurance ???

Thank you

 

[xabiaxica]

I am looking at taking early retirement next year and move to the La Nocia area just outside Benidorm. Having read through several posts on here NOT going to sell my house but rent it out and rent in Spain. I am 62 pretty healthy except high blood pressure and seeking advice as to how I arrange to get free medical treatment, or do I have to take out some form of medical insurance ???

Thank you

:welcome:

You'll need private insurance for the first year. Once you have been a registered resident for 12 months, you'll be able to join the state healthcare by 'buying in' to it for about 60€ a month

this is about the same as a lot of private insurers, but pre-existing conditions are covered, unlike with private healthcare

 

[stevec2x]

...errr... Crudenbay lass - are you a lass? If so aren't you already state-retired? If so you will automatically get Spanish state healthcare. I must admit I'm out-of-date with UK retirement ages though

 

[Crudenbay lass]

Medical Services

Retirement age now in UK is on a sliding scale. I now have to be 64 before I can officially retire so would be retiring 2 years prior. Maybe retirement age in Spain is 60 ??? If that is the case would this change having to pay for a prove insurance policy ??

 

[Lynn R]

Retirement age now in UK is on a sliding scale. I now have to be 64 before I can officially retire so would be retiring 2 years prior. Maybe retirement age in Spain is 60 ??? If that is the case would this change having to pay for a prove insurance policy ??

Unfortunately, no. Accessing free state healthcare in Spain requires you to have an S1 form issued by the DWP in the UK, and they stopped issuing them to anyone below the UK state retirement age (currently 65 but will rise in the future) last year. The only exception is for married people whose spouse is of UK retirement age - their wife or husband, if younger, can then get an S1 form as the pensioner's dependant.

 

[xabiaxica]

Retirement age now in UK is on a sliding scale. I now have to be 64 before I can officially retire so would be retiring 2 years prior. Maybe retirement age in Spain is 60 ??? If that is the case would this change having to pay for a prove insurance policy ??

no it wouldn't make any difference

the way it works, is that once you get your state pension from the UK, they send you a form called 'S1'

with that you can register with the Spanish health service & the UK picks up the bill

until then, you have to pay for it, either by the convenio especial or by working & paying the Spanish equivalent of NI