Tenerife forum

Dianne

my mum is selling up here in the uk and moving over to tenerife to live, she will not be working there and plans to just live the easier lifestyle, something that has come up in conversation with us here is something I am hoping someone can help with, I have tried the search facility but can not find anything,
as she will not be working she will not be paying into the system over there as far as national insurance etc or equivilent, so if she has to go to a doctor will she be covered using her updated E111?? orwill she have to pay each month into the system in order for her to be coverered for things we get on the NHS here in the UK ??
I mean she wears a hearing aid and over here she gets free batteries etc
She is wondering what the situation will be over there with issues like this.

MaryJ

Hi Dianne,

Here is some of the information we have collected in our (Moving to Tenerife Notes)

Although the E111 is now called the EHIC don't know what the E121 & E106 has changed to or if they have.

Hope this helps.

Don't know about things like hearing aid batteries though.

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HEALTHCARE AND BENEFITS

Medical forms required before you go:

If you decide to live permanently in another EEC country or to work there, you are not entitled to a UK issued Form E111. The E111 is only for short stays.

Send any form E111 you hold to:

The Department for Work & Pensions
The Pension Service
International Pension Centre
Medical Benefits Section
Tyneview Park
Whitely Road
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE98 1BA

Tel 0191 218 7777 Giving them full details of your circumstances.

They will issue you with the appropriate E121 forms (2 no.). Obtain this while still in Britain. This applies even if you are receiving incapacity benefit, you can still qualify for health cover form the UK after departure.
(Although, if you are under pensionable age at the date of departure, the appropriate certificate to request is the E106)

The E121 or E106, should be handed to your nearest Spanish Social Security on arrival in Spain for registration. (Instituto Nacional de Seguirdad)
It is also advisable to take a copy of your birth certificate or passport, and a copy of your NIE (and residencia card if you have one).
The office will complete a section of both copies of the E121 application and will send one copy to the British authorities, as it is the British authority who pays for any medical treatment you receive in Spain.

You will be issued with a temporary health card and will then receive a letter informing you of your nearest medical centre along with a permanent card.

You need to take your papers to a medical centre and register with a doctor as soon as is possible. The system seems to work very much like surgeries in the UK.

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The Spanish state health service is called Insalud.
On Retirement, and receiving State Pension (or long term incapacity benefit or Widow’s pension) from the UK, you are entitled to use the health services in any EEC country on the same basis as nationals.

Once you have obtained a full residency you are automatically entitled for free health care, although this is only for 2 years if you are not retirement age.
If you are retirement age your are fully entitled.

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This is only informationwe have collected, not put any of it into practice yet, but hope it is of use.

Mary (&Gee)
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Dianne

hi Mary,

thanks for the info, do you know if this is the case for people below retirement age as well ?? I know you said there is a different form but would they be covers for so long until they get settled and start to pay into the system ??

rob

Sorry, with so many people wanting to come and live in Tenerife, there is no assistance, there are groups trying to stop the numbers of EEC citizens from increasing.
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Who am I? Follow the myspacetenerife link under my avatar.

Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing.

Dianne

sorry Rob but your point is ??????? Smile

maybe I'm being a bit slow but didn't think what I was asking was anything out of the ordinary, only trying to understand what else needs to be done before my mum moves over. I mean she has paid her nat insurance all her working life in the Uk and is moving over to "buy" a property not mortage one, so will be taking nothing from the spanish system and not be looking for a spanish job etc so I really don't see the problem, I mean every country rely on people moving in from abroad regardless of where, bringing in a sum of money to invest there.

rob

Hi Dianne, you said.....do you know if this is the case for people below retirement age as well ?? I know you said there is a different form but would they be covers for so long until they get settled and start to pay into the system ??

I was stating that there is no 'sponsorship' for people wanting to move here. Like free insurance cover for a period etc. If anyone wants to move here then the sensible thing is to take out private medical insurance until the state benefits kick in.
_________________
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Who am I? Follow the myspacetenerife link under my avatar.

Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing.

Dianne

hi rob, yes ok thanks for that info it is just as I had thought in fact I was discussing this subject last night with a friend of mine, and I totally agree that it is the best thing to do.
My main question at the start of this post was for my mum though but I think I know now what she need to do before leaving the uk in order to be covered when she moves over.

MaryJ

Hi Dianne,

Regarding your mother's position, I suppose you mean she is already of pension age. According to the information we have put together she will be eligible to free healthcare under the EEC agreement.

She should contact the Department of Health & Pensions though to change her EHIC (E111) card as they do specify that this is only to be used for short stays.

As a pensioner She needs the E121 (if they still call it that)

We watched a TV programme a few months ago, where they specified that if you are under pensionable age you can be in the Spanish health system if you work and pay into the system.

If you are not pensionable age and do not work, you can get free treatment for 2 years only, but then you have to take out private medical insurance until the state benefit comes in at 60 (or 65 for men).

They had some people who had not been aware of this and had major problems thinking the EEC agreement applied, but found out to their cost that their entitlement had run out as they had lived in Spain for longer than 2 years

As Rob says there is no free insurance cover.

At the end of the programme they advised anyone under pension age and not working, to take out private cover anyway, better to be safe than sorry.
_________________
Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

Dianne

thanks Mary you'v been very helpful.