Important healthcare news for pensioners in the Valencia region
As of January 2nd this year (2016) many pensioners & their dependants are now entitled to free prescriptions.
If you are a pensioner with a SIP card which is linked to the S1, or a pension from Spain because you worked here before you retired, and your annual income is less than 12,000€ a year, you no longer have to pay for medicines on prescription.
Q.How do they know my income?
A.When you submit your annual tax return the information is shared with various departments, one of which is the health department. Your SIP card is linked to the information which tells the pharmacist what percentage you have to pay for prescription medicines
Q. I’m a pensioner in the Valencia region & I’m still being charged for prescription medicines – why?
A.Either your annual income is greater than 12,000€ a year – or you haven’t been submitting tax returns, so the tax office treats you as if you are, as a result of the lack of information.
Q. My income is less than 12,000€ a year but I haven’t done tax returns. What can I do about it?
A.You can either go to the tax office with your income information & they will help you do a tax return free of charge. Or you can visit a gestor who will do it for you for a fee. Many people use an accountant. They usually charge more than gestores.
Q. I’m a pensioner from the an EU country but I don’t have a SIP card. How do I get one?
A. You can read more about Healthcare in Spain, including how to get a SIP card, here https://learn-aprender.com/groups/healthcare-in-spain/
