Health cover in other EU countries

[fulcrum]

I watched an interesting program last night on Trevor McDonald ITV1. It was about the misunderstanding of health cover in the EU by British people moving to Spain. Did anyone else see it?

Presuming that the same rules apply here in France. I wonder how many British people here may be under the same misunderstanding.

http://www.itv.com/news/tonight_73391144b0e3e18ad35fe8b3c0f4b789.html

[Miki]

I don't think the Spanish have a version of the CMU though and that appears to be the stumbling block for the Brits, they have to take out private cover and many don't.

We know of plenty out there who are simply taking a chance with their health, believing they will simply go home, if they need health care and get it all sorted out there. They, as stated on the programme, simply hold on to a UK address, normally family, which allows them normal access to a Doctor and hospitals. In that respect, there are many Brits here in France who rely on such a thing as well.

But for others in Spain who cannot get home and the roulette wheel of health finally stopped on their number, it is awful but as we always say on here, do your homework, many do but care to ignore what might happen and then blame Spain (and naturally the UK) for their problems.

[Miki]

If no one posts the legal route to health cover in Spain , I have emailed two early retired (but years from getting their E121) family members in Spain, to ask them what they do, as regards health care and costs.

Puzzled, you are supposedly legally obliged now (for a while now) to have health cover if resident in France (this can in certain cases, mean private is allowed apart from the CMU) I am not sure this is law in Spain. All EU countries will see EU laws as for someone else and not actually for them [;-)]

[Deimos]

No idea about the program and problem it revealed. However, my understanding is that the Spanish health system (for everybody that participates in it) provides a lot less in the way of aftercare i.e. you get the operation but you or your insurance have to pay for the follow-up treatments (e.g. physio and stuff like that). I also thought that what you get and how much you are covered depends to a extent on the region of Spain you are resident in. Some regions provide more than others.

I also thought that once you are no longer resident in the UK you cannot just "go back there" to get treated. To re-enter the NHS you have to convince the UK authorities that you are really resident in the UK and not just "home for health treatment". Not sure what is involved in that though.

Must also confess that my info is quite a few years out of date now so things may have changed.

Ian

[Gardian]

Ian ............

The programme corroborated pretty much exactly what you have said above.

[Miki]

[quote]

I also thought that once you are no longer resident in the UK you cannot just "go back there" to get treated. To re-enter the NHS you have to convince the UK authorities that you are really resident in the UK and not just "home for health treatment". Not sure what is involved in that though.

[/quote]

Easiest fiddle ever to do. They, like many here in France, simply keep an address in the UK and that is all they need. It means they don't register in Spain or France and that way, they believe they are saving money.....until....................