CyprusLiving

Ok having completed my investigations I am now back in Thailand and definitely want to move to Cyprus if possible round about next March.

So I am 66 years old a UK citizen and in receipt of a UK pension, that makes me eligible for treatment under the Cyprus Health care system (let's not go into the pros and cons of private versus public here).

So I come to Cyprus clutching my E121 form which I have obtained from the UK (hopefully I can obtain without having to physically visit the UK en route), and now I start the process to get registered in Cyprus.

As I understand it first I must apply for my Alien Registration which takes about 3 months, then I must apply to be registered at the Paphos General Hospital, which takes ????.

So what would be the case if I were to fall seriously ill while in this waiting process. Would I be covered because I have the E121 form or would I have to pay because I have not yet completed the registration process?

Anyone have any actual experience of being in this situation please (I am not expecting to be but then again you never know what is going to happen).

Peter, The Pattaya Otter

Would 'holiday insurance' cover it????

Read this from the government website Peter. I think it will answer your question. If not feel free to come back on it.

We met at the Kamares dinner - my husband Steve and I were sitting opposite you. So glad your trip was positive and we look forward to you coming to Cyprus as a permanent resident.
Best wishes - Teresa


http://www.moh.gov.cy/moh/moh.nsf/All/B ... penElement

Not sure it really does Teresa, it says that with an E121 you MUST register with the Cyprus Minstry of Health. But as I understand it you CANNOT register until you have first got your Alien Registration which as I said appears to take about 3 months, which still appears to leave you in limbo for that period.

Re Holiday Insurance - possibly but remember I am living in Thailand so not sure how that would work, I would in emergency have to claim from my insurers back here even if such a thing existed. Worth checking out though

Peter

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Trev..

Many thanks Trev, That sounds definitive. I was hoping that would be the case but wasn't sure. CL to the rescue again.

As the information states you can obtain an EHIC (used to be E111) to cover you for a "holiday period" until you are resident, then you can apply for your medical card.
Teresa

Can I just challenge you Trev and urge caution Peter re the quote from the NHS health advice link.

The next line also states that :-

"Your eligibility for healthcare cover will start from the date of registration and not from the date of application"

Please don't be lulled into a false sense of security thinking that if you have the E121 application form you are entitled to free health care. It needs to be registered first.

You also need to have your residency to qualify. So there will be a period without cover that you would be wise to have the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)
Teresa

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Trev..

It is quite clearly stated in the NHS document you attached Trev so I would advise everyone, especially you Peter who is need of the necessary documentation before you come to Cyprus, to read it carefully and apply for the medical card at the first opportunity.

Apply for the EHIC first though which will cover your health care costs as a tourist before you become a resident. You need your residency papers and an E121 (copy of) to apply for a medical card (if you are in receipt of a UK state benefit).

The reason for the need to register the E121 is that Cyprus will not undertake the cost of the care until they are sure that the UK will refund the cost to them. Without a registered E121 there is no entitlement to care so no money will be paid by the UK.
Teresa

Ok getting a bit confused now (but it is 8PM here and I have had a few glasses of wine), do I understand it that the E121 is still the key and not some other form?

And having got that, in advance of my Alien Registration I should take that E121 to the General Hospital and get this EHIC card? and just say I am a tourist.

Is that correct please?

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Regards. Trev..

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Trev..

Trev,

Thank you so much for going to so much trouble - much appreciated.

Ok, sounds like the best way is not to get ill, but if I do then take my E121 and plead mercy.

Ok I'm off for the night - sorry all, didn't mean to stir such a hornets nest but maybe it was useful that I did.

Cheers and thanks again for all your help and advice

Peter,

Would you please read the links that have been sent to you - both the UK NHS info and the Cyprus government info. They are the facts and are quite clear if you take them one step at a time.

Trev - I know you are trying to be helpful but in this instance you have confused the issue somewhat. The EHIC and the E121 are both UK issues and so the Cyprus officials are somewhat foggy in their knowledge. We have visited the Polis Advice Centre and they could not give us any answer to our particular query. We are waiting for a response from Nicosia.

This thread has turned into a confusion instead of a help I'm afraid and as moderator I feel responsible for it. I will formulate a bullet point, step by step process for everyone to, hopefully, clear up any confusion.
Teresa

Sorry Teresa. Trev..

Peter good luck with the links. Trev..

For those of you who would like a guide to accessing the state health care system please see below. I have tried to make it as concise as possible and may need to change it again depending on new information received.

HEALTH CARE IN CYPRUS

* Before you leave the UK for Cyprus apply for an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) which entitles you to health care as a temporary visitor in Cyprus. Until you have acquired residency in Cyprus you are still a UK resident and therefore a temporary visitor. Depending on the need you may have to pay for part of the care.

* After you have achieved permanent residency in Cyprus and you are in receipt of either a state pension or long term incapacity benefit from the UK, you are entitled to the same state health care as a Cypriot national, paid by the UK – (form E121)

* If you are NOT in receipt of the above UK benefits you are able to have UK funded health care in Cyprus for up to 2.5 years (depending on your previous contributions) (form E106)

PROCESS

As soon as you have proof of residency take the following to your local hospital :-

1) A copy of the E121/E106 form (phone DWP + 44 191 218 1999) no downloadable form unfortunately.

2) Completed application form for a Cyprus medical card

http://www.moh.gov.cy/moh/moh.nsf/All/2 ... %20OLD.pdf

3) Proof of permanent residency in Cyprus.

The staff will register your application for UK funded health care in Cyprus and this will entitle you to health care from that point – as long as you produce your E121 application form and other relevant documents.

The health care must be received in one of the Government health care provisions and NOT a private hospital or clinic to qualify for this care. Private hospital care costs will not be refunded by the UK.

There is a standard charge when visiting a doctor at the hospital - currently €2 a visit.

When you are issued with a medical card your spouse/dependents are also entitled to state funded health care.

Teresa

Teresa. That's very clear - thank you very much. I do have a personal issue in that I am currently NOT a UK resident as I am living in Thailand - I am a UK Citizen and in receipt of a UK pension but not currently UK resident. I am pretty sure I can persuade the UK Pensions authority to issue me with an E121 form but I'm not so sure about the EHIC card, not without returning to UK first which I do not plan to do. Anyway as I said that's not technically a Cyprus issue and I will take it up with the UK authorities before I move.

Many thanks again

With regard to the €2 charge. I personally have not had to pay this since I became 65 years of age.

Trev..

Good to know - every little helps.

On the same subject - what happens if you are resident of Cyprus, not working, but under state retirment age?

Our Cyprus medical card was only issued for 18 months and has now expired - ditto our Cyprus EHIC - although our UK ones are valid until March 2010. Due to various health issues we have not got private insurance, as the premiums are extortionate.

Can we still go the the general hospital for treatment and can we use our UK EHIC?

Thanks

Brenda

Hi Brenda,

A few points here to ponder...

You are a Cyprus resident now with papers I assume. In that case you are not a temporary visitor in Cyprus so the UK EHIC is invalid.

How did you get a Cyprus medical card in the first place if you are not in receipt of a UK state pension or Incapacity Benefit? You should not be eligible for it according to the legislation.

Did you get the 2.5 years of treatment by completing an E106 form from the UK when you first came to Cyprus? That is available for people in your position but I don't know if you can apply for it retrospectively.

If you cannot get that then I am afraid your only option would be to "pay as you go" at the hospital of your choice or pay for health insurance.

I would be interested to hear the answers to the questions though so that I and other people can learn from your experience.

Teresa

Hi Therese

When we first arrived in November 2007 we had an E106, but it was only valid until March of this year (not 2 years), and were given an Pink Cyprus health card for that period. We also had a Cyprus EHIC which expired in May of this year. So now we have no EHIC, no Cyprus healthcare and no private insurance. Lets hope we don't get too ill!

As a matter of interest, does anyone have any idea how much we would have to pay at the general hospital. Both of us are early retirees, and whilst registered as Cyprus taxpayers, do not pay any tax as our private pensions are not that much.

Also if we did get ill and returned to the UK would we be eligible for free treatment there???

Poor Brenda,

This is a situation that definitely benefits from being a pensioner - not that I want you to wish your life away.

The cost of care at the Paphos General is impossible to predict as you would be charged for each investigation, consultation, medication etc, so how long is a piece of string. I am told that it is less expensive than the private hospitals though but the quality of medical care is high. That's some consolation.

On the other hand, if you return to the UK and admit you live in Cyprus and are a resident here you will not be entitled to care on the NHS, except for emergency care in A+E. You would be expected to give a UK address and GP on admission to hospital - a situation no ex pat is happy with. After all we have paid all our taxes and superannuation during our working lives.

I wish you good health until you are at least of pensionable age - and that is not necessarily 60 for women any more as eligibility of the UK pension is staggered depending on your date of birth. I get mine when I am 62 years, 10 months old for example - then I will be entitled to state funded care here.

Teresa

I seem to think that reduced or free medical treatment is means tested in Cyprus so would depend on your income.

If I recall the income figure was around €18,000 per couple before you paid but not sure where to find this info...

You are correct Julie,
On the application form for a Cyprus medical card there are questions regarding income. I put a link beside the medical card in the health care bullet points in a previous post. Please look at that for more information. That is for Cyprus nationals though I think. For other EU residents residing in Cyprus there needs to be the eligibility criteria of a state pension or other benefit (E121) or limited time of care (E106) - other than that it is a fee paying health care system.
Teresa

Just an update on the original topic for anyone who might be in a similar situation to myself.

I had a telephone conversation yesterday with the UK International Pensions service.

Initially they told me my E121 would cover me as soon as I arrived in Cyprus but I then told them that as I understood it, I could not present that and register into the Cyprus Health System until I had obtained my residency papers.

The person I spoke to was unaware of this and put me on hold while he consulted his colleagues.

He then came back to me and told me I was quite correct and therefore as a non UK resident I would indeed be in 'healthcare limbo' until this was done.

He then suggested (as others here have done) that I take out some medical travel insurance to cover me during this interim period which I will now investigate.

As I said, this is specific to me as although a British Citizen and pensioner I am not currently UK resident. Anyone moving directly from UK to Cyprus would be covered by their EHIC card but this is not available to me.

I think this answers my original question and at least I know where I stand now.

Many thanks Teresa and others for your contributions here

Peter

Hi again Peter,

That is indeed valuable information and at least you know where you stand as you say. From arrival in Cyprus until you receive your residency status, and therefore are eligible for state health care, just keep yourself as fit as possible.

If you do need some medical care you can shop around and it might not be as expensive as you think - depending on what it is of course.

Here's hoping you arrive well and happy and have an uneventful few months health wise.
Teresa

Having travel insurance may well help, but it is still in the 'Grey area' that the EHIC is in if you use it whilst living here.

The EHIC card is meant to be used by people who are needing health treatment, whilst away from their home address on holiday or business.

The same goes for travel insurance as well. However it is probably worth while taking out an annual policy, ie 12 months and if you do fall ill then see if you can use it.

Would I do it..... Yes certainly.

Trev..

We were also early retirees. Until one of us reached the official UK retirement age, which then was 60 for women and 65 for men, we were not eligible for Cypriot state health care. We decided to get private health insurance cover. Private health insurance need not be very expensive, there are a number of different types of cover available. The cheapest covers hospital in patient treatment. It is good for peace of mind to have such cover as you never know what may lie around the corner health wise.
Of course any pre existing health conditions aren't covered.
If not eligible for state health care here, and you have concerns about your ability to pay for treatment, then as already stated be careful as you can't return to the UK to use the NHS as an expatriateThat is except for primary health care, or for emergency treatment. For this , you need to have a Cypriot EHIC card.
A few unfortunate people here have fallen into this trap where they are unable to pay for medical treatment.
It is a point well worth sorting out before you get here.
Dee