How can we get prescription prices reduced in Tenerife?

[janine446]

Hello ,

I hope someone can help us.

We have lived in Tenerife for 3 years and have private health. My husband goes to the uk, usually for a week, once a month, as he has a business there, but no home. He usually stays with his son, who lives near to the office.

3 weeks ago, he was diagnosed with heart failure, it seems to be controllable and he is good health. The prescribed medications, which he will be on for life, are costing us over 400euros a month. And we can't afford it .

Is there any way round this dilemma? His health is worth every penny, and I don't mind going in to debt, if that is what we have to do, but I would rather explore any other possibilities first. Can we use the European Health Insurance card, for discounted medications? Or is he still able to register with a doctor in the uk, as he is still a tax payer there, so he can visit the dr on one of his trips home?


Hope you can help.

Janine xx

[junglejim]

I think he would have to register with a doctor in UK , using your son´s address ( not entirely legal) to get UK prescriptions -if he is under 65 he has to use private health care here if he is not contributing to state system .
Hopefully others will advise but for sake of his health he may have to return home for a while . See other thread on Habitual Residency in UK .

http://www.tenerifeforum.org/tenerife-forum/showthread.php?23199-Habitual-Residence-Test-UK-recommendation-from-the-UK-Migration-Watch

[soarey]

Have a look at this thread.Certainly worth registering back in the UK.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx

[Marianne]

I am so sorry to hear about this. But if you live permanently in Spain, I am confused about your husband being a tax payer THERE, eg in the UK? Once you live permanently abroad, you have to de-register by law from your GP- even is you still have property there and a legal address (as is the case for us, despite having paid into the system all our life).

[slodgedad]

The first question to ask is, is he registered with a social doctor, either here or the UK?

If not there will be no help with medication costs, unless your private cover will help.

To get help with medication costs in Tenerife you mustbe registered with a Social doctor..(I found out the hard way)

[Marianne]

It is a difficult situation, but if you are permanently resident in Spain you cannot be registered legally with a GP in England nor have UK prescriptions. Fact is, 10000s do, using addresses from their family- but this is definitely not legal. I hope you find a legal way to get help. You can't be permanently resident abroad AND be eligible for UK NHS (as we know well from personal experience). If you have private health insurance, why won't they pay for the drugs?

[janine446]

Thank you for all your help.
Up until 3 months ago, my Husband was still spending more than 6 months in the uk and now has stepped down (slightly) from the business, and decided to take semi retirement. and just travelling back once a month. Sorry, i didn't make that clear. I have been here permanatley for 3 yrs, but don't work and have private health cover. We are in the process of sorting out all the paper work for any money paid to him. I would much rather do everything legally.

Once that is sorted out, I presume we will be able to register with a social doctor ? Is there a time period before being able to register?

The private health covers us for all treatment (thank goodness!) but not for medication. .

Thanks again for all your kind help.

Janine x

[mike in chayofa]

........ If you have private health insurance, why won't they pay for the drugs?

This is not covered by private health insurance. The only time that medication is paid for is medication that is prescribed whilst being treatedas an 'in-patient' in hospital.

Another thing to be aware of is that medical conditions will be treated by private cover, but you will usually find that any reconstructive surgery required after such surgery will not be covered.

[Marianne]

What happens with pre-existing conditions? We found that we could not get cover.

[janine446]

What happens with pre-existing conditions? We found that we could not get cover.


Thank fully, when we took out our private health cover, we didn't have health problems. I don't think you can get cover for any pre-existing medical conditions. But I'm no expert.

[casabonny]

Firstly I sympathize with you and your husband but some things have to be clear.
is your husband resident here or the UK ? Fiscally I mean in the first place?
You cannot be resident in two countries but if he does not own property in the UK nor rent , it is my understanding that he could not be considered as resident there and therefore would not legally be entitled to medical cover there .
if he is resident here and can provide form S1 or the equivalent then he could register on the social system but he is unlikely. To get the meds he has already been prescribed on the private unless he gets a doctor who is sympathetic ( pretty unlikely now though as they are under pressure to cut costs ) .I have received heart treatment here on the private and social and fortunately my cardiologist is the top man in Candelaria a( although I normally see him on private) and I have been able to my meds on the social via him. This I must stress is not normal and its a case of not what you know but who you know
Your husband need s it seems to sort this quickly but there does not seem to be a simple solution . Forum member Goldenmaniac may be able to offer some further advice.

[graham brown]

[QUOTE=janine446;257338]Thank fully, when we took out our private health cover, we didn't have health problems. I don't think you can get cover for any pre-existing medical conditions. But I'm no expert.[/QUO

[Balcony]

Janine, from some advice you could end up with that classic British trait of trying to keep a foot in both camps i.e. one in Spain and one in the UK and that could lead to problems.

You're either resident in Tenerife, or the UK. Wherever you are legally resident you should follow the protocols of that health system. Brits tend to forget that Spain does not have the same systems as the UK. It's no good bemoaning these differences. they're a fact of life.....unless of course you can start a campaign to change things.

If you took out insurance prior to a health problem then naturally that problem would be covered. As Mike said you may have to pay for any drugs.

It might be worth exploring the possibility of making a voluntary contribution to the social security system, if this would enhance your needs. I don't know if this is possble.

I wish you both well and every success.