Universal Benefits

[rt21]

Some weeks ago I read with surprise that Spain had successfully managed to persuade the E.U. that they shouldn’t have to foot the medical bill for retired Europeans who live in that country. In my opinion it creates an important precedent and principle. If the argument is developed further there is a case for stating that an host country should be under no obligation for paying universal benefits to other europeans living in its boundaries. Am I missing a trick here because I have not read any article developing this argument to its logical end.

Richard

[katy]

Spain doesn’t foot the bill anyway. A fixed sum is paid every year for EU pensioners who reside in Spain by their own country.

There was some whinging in the news that the hospitals finished up out of pocket but general concensus is that they were probably inflating the invoices.

[Anonymous]

I find this rather confusing. As a tourist or non resident you can get insurance from a UK company for treatment for up to a certain number of days. You are also covered by usual temporary cover that all EU countries provide so you will get treated for a sudden condition say gall stones but not for something that suddenly becomes apparent but you could reasonable go back to UK to have done..If you become resident and are a UK pensioner you have to fill in a form from the UK that allows you to be treated in Spain in the same way as a Spanish resident and this combined with the fact you pay Spanish taxes seems fair enough. So what actually is it that the Spanish will not now pay ? After all Spanish who live here get NHS treatment if they reside here.

[logan]

This ruling relates to early retired people who come to Spain before the UK official retirement age. France has done the same thing. Spain followed after seeing the French get away with it with the EU Commission. The form E106 used to cover them for a year but no longer. Private Insurance is the only option now until arriving at UK state pension age.

[Author]

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