A SIP card

Consulate staff in Alicante and Madrid confirmed the changes were officially announced on Thursday afternoon. An insider told Round Town News: “This is no rumour. We are aware that the changes to free healthcare cover will be published in the region’s official bulletin. “The people that will be most affected by this measure are those who do not have access to the state health system through an E121 or an E106, or who do not pay Spanish Social Security contributions.”
Currently, diplomats are busy gathering information on the changes to enable them to give “accurate advice” to British citizens living in the Generalitat Valenciana. Until now, expats taking early retirement have been issued with a ‘SIP’ card by the health service on production of what has become known as the ‘Newcastle Letter’.

BENEFITS
This involved getting a legislative letter, in Spanish, from the Overseas Benefits Office at the Department of Works and Pension, Newcastle. It allowed people not entitled to either of the ‘E’ forms to get free healthcare. However, the SIP card needed to be renewed annually with a fresh letter from the UK. The letter underlined how the bearer was not entitled to health cover in Britain under the NHS and enabled them to get the full cover. However, it is believed people holding these cards will still be covered until the expiry date of the individual SIP. Contacts close to the health service say this announcement will come as a  “shock” to many expats and had come “out of the blue.” It is understood Valencia’s health budget is severely over-stretched at present – especially with EU citizens, including a majority of Brits – flooding to start a new life in the sun. RTN was told that it appeared the British Government was being slow in settling health bills run up by citizens in a Europe-wide reciprocal agreement.