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Sip card private prescription

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:05pm
46 replies7 members subscribed
Mcvmm21

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I have moved to Spain on a NLV so I had to purchase private health care and pay full prescription price for my medication I have now received my Sip card for Spanish health care but I still have a prescription from my private doctor to collect can I use my SIP card to get it and pay less for it or do I need to get a prescription from the Spanish health care center to pay less for itas my chemist said I would save money on my prescription with a sip card

tebo53

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:09pm

tebo53

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:09pm

Mcvmm21 wrote on Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:05pm:

I have moved to Spain on a NLV so I had to purchase private health care and pay full prescription price for my medication I have now received my Sip card for Spanish health care but I still have a prescription from my private doctor to collect can I use my SIP card to get it and pay less for it o...

...r do I need to get a prescription from the Spanish health care center to pay less for itas my chemist said I would save money on my prescription with a sip card

How have you managed to get a SIP card, was it through the S1 healthcare scheme or is it just a temporary SIP?

Steve

marcliff

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:21pm

marcliff

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:21pm

The SIP card also contains other details. To get the reduced prices you need to have submitted a tax return so they can see your income as discounts are decided on that.

If you are over 65 and have a permanent SIP card you should only pay 10% of the cost but not sure if a private doctor would have access to the system to update the amount you pay. A prescription from a Spanish NHS doctor will show the amount to pay based on SIP card details.

If you have a permanent SIP card you should be registered with a NHS GP to issue prescriptions, 

Mcvmm21

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:34pm

Mcvmm21

Original Poster

Posts: 102

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Location: Playa Flamenca

Joined: 28 Apr 2018

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:34pm

tebo53 wrote on Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:09pm:

How have you managed to get a SIP card, was it through the S1 healthcare scheme or is it just a temporary SIP?

Steve

S1 health care scheme

Mcvmm21

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:38pm

Mcvmm21

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Posts: 102

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Location: Playa Flamenca

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:38pm

marcliff wrote on Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:21pm:

The SIP card also contains other details. To get the reduced prices you need to have submitted a tax return so they can see your income as discounts are decided on that.

If you are over 65 and have a permanent SIP card you should only pay 10% of the cost but not sure if a private doctor would have access to the system to update the amount you pay. A prescription from a Spanish NHS doctor will show the amount to pay based on SIP card details....

...

If you have a permanent SIP card you should be registered with a NHS GP to issue prescriptions, 

Thank you for your reply I have a permanent sip card and been given a doctor so best to go there and get another prescription I think

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Darro

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:30pm

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:30pm

Neither public nor private doctors can set or change the charging rate for prescription medicines.

In general only those with incomes below the tax threshold (approx. €14k) will qualify for free prescriptions, and only then after submitting at least a first tax return.

By definition as an NLV holder your income must be at least double that threshold and that will automatically preclude you from ever receiving free medicines meaning you will pay 10% with, if memory serves, a cap of around €8 or 9 per month.

I have an inkling that there may be a higher charging structure for those on very high incomes but not being in that category I can't comment further!

In regard to the other question of collecting a private prescription with your SIP card then no, only public system prescriptions qualify, private will always be charged at full rate.

Mcvmm21

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 5:31pm

Mcvmm21

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Posts: 102

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 5:31pm

Darro wrote on Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:30pm:

Neither public nor private doctors can set or change the charging rate for prescription medicines.

In general only those with incomes below the tax threshold (approx. €14k) will qualify for free prescriptions, and only then after submitting at least a first tax return.

By definition as an NLV holder your income must be at least double that threshold and that will automatically preclude you from ever receiving free medicines meaning you will pay 10% with, if memory serves, a cap of around €8 or 9 per month.

I have an inkling that there may be a higher charging structure for those on very high incomes but not being in that category I can't comment further!

In regard to the other question of collecting a private prescription with your SIP card then no, only public system prescriptions qualify, private will always be charged at full rate.

Thank you for your reply just been to farmacia my diabetes drugs I have to pay full price for them private or public prescription as the government don't help with this

Mcvmm21

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 5:37pm

Mcvmm21

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 5:37pm

Mcvmm21 wrote on Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:38pm:

Thank you for your reply I have a permanent sip card and been given a doctor so best to go there and get another prescription I think

Just been to farmacia for my diabetes drugs l have to pay full price because the government don't subsidies they drugs for private or public health care

marcliff

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:36pm

marcliff

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:36pm

Something not quite right there. Diabetes medication is subsidised if you have a permanent SIP card and have completed your first tax return in Spain. If you are not a pensioner you will pay 50% of the cost but 40% if you on low earnings.

If you are a pensioner earning up to 18k a year the prescriptions will be free (in the Valencia Region but not all regions). . If you earn over 18k but under a quite high figure (can't remember what it is now but something around 60k a year) you will pay 10% of the cost but capped at a maximum of just over 8 euro per month.

If you earn over the higher figure it is capped at 18 euro a month but still 10%.

These co payment figures will only occur if you have completed a tax return (so they know what income you are on)  and if you have a permanent SIP card issued by means of a S1 form. Those on the convenio especial will not get any reductions in costs nor will private patients.

Reading not so long ago that Type 1 diabetics now get issued items free of charge, Type 2 are now getting reduced cost test strips which they weren't before.

Am I correct in assuming you are on the convenio especial (which gives you a SIP card) to obtain your health care in which case prescriptions are at full cost?

John123456

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 7:03pm

John123456

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Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2024 7:03pm

Mcvmm21 wrote on Thu Oct 10, 2024 5:37pm:

Just been to farmacia for my diabetes drugs l have to pay full price because the government don't subsidies they drugs for private or public health care

The amount you pay towards any prescription issued by a Spanish health service doctor is determined by your annual tax return. If you have not submitted a tax return you will have to pay 100% towards your medication until you do so. 

This link provides further information:

https://www.abacotaxes.com/prescriptions-in-spain#:~:text=This%20income%20information%20will%20be,will%20pay%20up%20to%2040%25.

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