PHI & covid

Hi Mags,

If you have any concerns, phone 112.  I don't believe anyone suspected or diagnosed of having Covid-19 would be denied access to emergency care.  If I'm unfortunate enough to contract it, that's who I'll be calling.

Take care,

Kim

Thanks Kimmy, it’s very concerning that you could end up with a bill for thousands of euros, but what other option would you have? Hopefully I won’t have to, but I will take your kind advice.

Hi Mags,

Before Christmas, a friend of mine had Covid symptoms and phoned Quiron hospital on a Friday afternoon, to be given an appointment for a test the following Monday (I remember commenting to her that it seemed a long time to make someone who had symptoms wait to have a test).  She turned up at the designated time, by then much more poorly than she'd been before the weekend, and visibly unwell.  When she explained to the doctor that she wanted a test because she'd had symptoms for 3 days, all hell broke loose.  The doctor was furious, demanding to know who she'd spoken to - it turned out that whoever took her call thought she was phoning to book a routine test, and didn't think to ask her if she had symptoms.  She was swiftly taken to Quiron's A&E department, where it was confirmed she had Covid.  Fortunately, she wasn't bad enough to need hospitalisation, but they told her that if her symptoms got any worse, she should not under any circumstances attend any health facility, but instead should call 112 immediately and tell them she'd had a positive test result.

I'm actually starting to get quite angry about this situation.  I think it's about time the private sector provided some clarity on this, lobbying Government on behalf of their clients if necessary, because there seems to be no protocol in place for people who don't have access to State healthcare.  People like you have enough to worry about when you're given a positive Covid diagnosis without the additional burden of not knowing whether you can get appropriate care.  

I can feel a letter coming on.......!

Take care,

Kim

More confusion for those of us with PHI.

I contacted our insurers, Salus, at the start of all this as I knew epidemic/pandemic not usually covered.

They replied with both a phone and email and told me a deal had been made between themselves and the government and any care required for Covid would be fully covered.

I assumed this applied to all insurance companies.

I just reread the email to check I wasn't dreaming!

Thx ldp.  I'm writing to ASSSA today, so that's useful to know 👍  I'll update this thread when I get a response too.

Best wishes, 

Kim

I had symptoms in Nov and didn’t even go through my PHI I just called my GP and she arranged a test the same day. I was called an hour after the test and informed I was positive and that I would have to isolate for 10 days, take plenty of fluids and lemon. I was called again 4 days later to check how I was but was fine and improving. She informed me if I did get any difficulty breathing or chest pains to call 112 immediately and go to hospital.

Thankfully I did come through it ok but it did boost my confidence in the Spanish health service and since my initial 12 months PHI has now expired I am on the Convinio Especial.

Hi Kimmy, I can’t remember if I mentioned on my first covid post that I was given a form from Dr Ballester confirming a positive test & was told to take it to the Quiron hospital. When we got there we were told to go to the emergency entrance, once there we had to sit for a couple of minutes then a clerk looked at my form and shrugged, said she didn’t know why I’d been told to go to the hospital. I phoned Dr Ballester & one of his staff said he’d possibly sent me to the hospital as I’m classed as borderline for type 2 diabetes ! At this point we decided to go home after what felt like a wasted journey.

Hello

There is also the Covid Alert no. that was issued at the outbreak of the virus here, advising- -- If you have symptoms,.....Do not leave home,..... Call 900300555. 

This was displayed in my local  Salud, so not sure how helpful it would be to people not registered on the Spanish Health Service but I would hope they could still point you in the right direction  if you had PHI.

Cheers

Elinspain

Hi El,

I originally gave that number to my friend and when she called it, she was told to go to Guardamar health centre.  I told her to call first, conscious that the health centres weren't letting people in without an appointment.  She did that and they told her not to go there, but to go to Quiron instead, because she didn't have a SIP card.  She called Quiron...... and, well, you know the rest! 😄

Seriously, though, when you consider that individual reactions to the virus are so varied, including severity of symptoms, I was shocked by how much of a 'run around' she was given, especially having to wait 3 days to get a test.  It worries me that responses to private patients are still so contradictory 🤔

Stay safe, 

Kim