Question
We moved to Spain from US in March (Alicante). Lots of the wonderful things we read about are true, but of course not perfect.
I developed a semi-serious condition (eosinophils) and the best solution is an injection costing €1100 / mo. In the US cost would be 0. Need for 3 – 4 years.
So suddenly a move back to the US seems appealing. We’re struggling with this decision.
Just looking for comments on people you know who DID move back. Are they sorry they did? Grass always greener?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
“There is nothing more important than your health. In many individual situations, the US healthcare system, access to patient assistance programs and the quality of specialized care is above and beyond what we’ve encountered in the EU. Do what is right for you. And always be open to finding the best option for your condition.”
“I agree. I have 3 chronic Illness, my medicine is $800 month . I’m under private and the medical care here has been very sub par the US. I’ve seen 6 Drs. Not one has got up from his desk and examined me or done vital signs. Whats up with that? Low cost does not mean better.”
“We also found they didn’t have all medications. My husband needed some special meds and we had to have family send them to us from the states. If it’s not made in Spain you won’t be able to get them at all.”
“I hope you feel better. This is an interesting topic for me because I have Valley Fever (coccidiodomycosis), which is a lifelong fungal infection if the lungs, where if the disease becomes active again (I am in remission right now), treatment is expensive and difficult. In the US the drugs are available and covered by insurance, I wonder if that’s the case in other countries.”
“I’m assuming that you have private insurance. I have read that after one year of private insurance you can pay to be included in Spain’s national healthcare system.”
“If you go back to the us, wouldnt this now be preexisting and not covered either?” (Response from the author “no, the Affordable Care Act got rid of that. There is no more preexisting condition exclusion, there hasn’t been for several years.”)
“I had private insurance when I came to Spain and they didn’t cover my shots. I paid 1200 euros a months for this biologic. After a year I was able to sign up for public health system through Convenio Especial. Because my medication is “de diagnóstico hospitalario “, meaning it’s only dispensed by a hospital pharmacy, it is covered and I don’t pay the high price anymore. The monthly fee for convenio especial is 60 euros under 65 years old and 157 from 65 years old. You should find out if your medication is considered de diagnóstico hospitalario. I can look if you want me to. Send me a private message with the name of the medication.”
“You can request a convenio especial to get on the public health plan early. For us, that meant visiting our local public health center and requesting a meeting with a social worker. Sometimes the folks at the front can be unfriendly, but don’t let them dissuade you. Bring ALL of your medical records, especially regarding the new diagnosis and treatment, and show it to the social worker. Also won’t hurt to bring copies of your passport, residency card, a new padron, etc. If you get a convenio especial you still need to pay for the public health insurance, but it won’t be $1100/month. Some medications are eligible for a discount—for example, my son’s epilepsy medication technically could receive a discount if we wanted it, but it’s so cheap that we don’t bother. The social worker will be able to advise you on this.”
“If there’s any way you can get a few doses at a time, and have someone administer the shot in Spain, then you could return to the US every 3 months to get refills. Insurance will cover 90 day supplies of a lot of drugs.”
“I’m considering going back as well. For health care that’s better and i surface that pays for meds…I love the Spanish lifestyle but what good is it if you don’t get proper care when you need it, and meds to stay healthy…”
“There are multiple drugs for eoseniphils , Fasenra , Dupixant , and one more at least I cannot remember at this time…
But to get them at 0 cost you must have insurance which is not government sponsored like Medicare, Medicaid ,or low income…”
“Hi there! I have a few eosinophilic diseases. Maybe I can help you with ideas to manage the symptoms? I don’t think you need to move back as the solutions i was given in the US were not as effective in long term. For reference I’ve paid about $20k/year in the past for treatment, but neighboring countries in the EU likely have solutions of Spain does not.”
“I have heard that there are some regions of Spain where you can get onto the national health care without needing to buy in with the convenio. I have heard that’s true on Andalusia, and someone was swearing up and down that he did the same in one of the communities on the north coast of Spain. If that’s true, then it might be worthwhile to move to one of those regions”
“Can you apply for convenio especial? Would that cover the meds?” (Answer from the author: “I’m in Convenio Especial. Nothing is covered and some of my medications are very expensive here, while some very cheap.”)
“Just curious (as a chronically ill person), I thought all medical treatments (except meds at pharmacies) were covered under social security in Spain? I know some visas aren’t eligible for SS though (like NLV). Best of luck with your decision!”
“I’m not sure if this is OP’s case, but most private insurance seems to exclude prescription medications. I guess they assume you have public insurance to cover the prescriptions? Anyway, for those of us without the anyway you cover the prescriptions, other than paying for them, it can leave you with huge bills if you need an expensive prescription. When I looked at policies, even chemo drugs were excluded for some! They will cover medical procedures, but not the drugs needed to fight the cancer!”
“You could go back to the states and declare medical bankruptcy! My husband and I both have chronic conditions and we spend over $36k on medical alone here in the states, not including dental or vision. Where on earth can you get free medical care in the U.S.? I’m assuming you are retired military?”
“You can move to Barcelona, they offer universal healthcare so you would get on public in 3 months with an empadronamiento. I do have to say, that this is the 1st I ever heard of a medication costing so much in Spain, let alone more than the US or even that it would be covered 100% when it is so expensive. This blows my mind. I would also speak to your insurance about options.”
