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thread on health careone thing that would be hard to find is English speaking doctors, for that you best off going priviate (or learning Spanish!)
formerly timhortonsman
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| Posts: 392 | Location: Tres Cantos | Registered: 29 June 2006 | |
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This seems to be the latest thread on here, so hope I am in the right place! Has this happened to anyone else? I have had a social security card since ten years ago, and have the corresponding Health Card too. I had rotten news yesterday, which meant for the first time ever I had to go to the Health Centre to see a doctor today. But.........I have been baja'd from the system  Apparently I was baja'd in March, my social security number is no longer valid  and therefore, although I did see a doctor, it was only for her to tell me she can't treat me. How can this be? I thought my social security number was mine for ever, like the NIE number? I was told that now, if someone is not working, after 3 months they are automatically baja'd from the system - extranjeros and spanish alike. Obviously I will go to INSS on Monday when they open, but in the meantime, can anyone shed any light on this?
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Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
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| Posts: 1817 | Location: Montaña Blanca, Lanzarote | Registered: 02 March 2002 | |
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"the man!"
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quote: I was told that now, if someone is not working, after 3 months they are automatically baja'd from the system - extranjeros and spanish alike.
hey sue, sorry to hear you had to go to doc. the above is true, you need to be working (contributing to the ss system) to reap the benefits (eg. public health). this is why a lot of ex-pats go with private healt insurance but the only problem there is that the private insurance cos. do not cover treatment for pre-existing conditions so if one has an illness they cannot sign up with private and expect to be treated for that illness or any ohter one that derives directly from it. saludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12253 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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Thanks for the reply jer. So are we saying here that never mind that I have been contributing for the past ten years without using a doctor, that since I have not been working none of that counts  And is it also true that it is the same for spanish nationals too? Is there a sum of money (reduced?) that I could pay that would allow me to continue to be in the system, even though I don't have work at the moment?
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Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
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| Posts: 1817 | Location: Montaña Blanca, Lanzarote | Registered: 02 March 2002 | |
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"the man!"
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quote: Is there a sum of money that I could pay that would allow me to continue to be in the system, even though I don't have work at the moment?
not sure but i think if you pay your ss you would be back in the loop so to speak. for example, becoming an autónoma and pay the 200+ euros per month would get you benefits. as for the 10 years of paying in, i believe that goes towards a retirement "pensión" but is independent of the health care unless you are already retired. saludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12253 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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I have to say, impartially, I completely agree with this system (shame it's happening to me though!!). And yes, the doc did ask if I was pensionista....OK I've been ill, but come on!!!!! If the UK adopted the same system then perhaps there would be money left in the NHS for people who really needed it. When I lived in the middle east I wouldn't have dreamt of getting medical help on the NHS, when I returned to UK. OK I might be a UK citizen, but if you don't contribute you don't get!!! I suppose I am ok with this as long as I'm not being penalised for being an extranjera who has never needed a doctor before.......though I am still unclear as to why my ss number has disappeared off the system? Specially as I was recalled for a mammogram in May, yet was supposedly baja'd in March
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Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
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| Posts: 1817 | Location: Montaña Blanca, Lanzarote | Registered: 02 March 2002 | |
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Sorry? I'm not too sure what you mean instantrejoinder? It is linked here in spain, automatically. You pay your taxes, social security etc, and as a resident you are entitled to the public health care. Yes I have private insurance, billed from the US, and in my case, here in the Canaries, they will not accept it because, they say, the US insurance companies are notoriously bad payers. They will only accept private insureance billed within Europe. So I am $%/&%d on all levels at the moment and paying for urgent treatment. Talking about health care.........am I a virtual grandma yet 
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Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
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| Posts: 1817 | Location: Montaña Blanca, Lanzarote | Registered: 02 March 2002 | |
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I'm a bit amazed too, instantrejoinder, specially as its happening to me The ruling is that if someone is unemployed or not paying their social security, they are baja'd from the public health system after 90 days. Obviously once they start work again, and begin paying again, they are reinstated. And pensioners are reinstated automatically, if they are still resident by that time. I was told that it is "the law" by a not very helpful lady at INSS, just that the canaries have always been very lax at applying it!!!
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Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
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| Posts: 1817 | Location: Montaña Blanca, Lanzarote | Registered: 02 March 2002 | |
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