This is the answer about prescriptions from the BMA
I live abroad for six months of the year and asked my doctor to give me six months worth of prescription to cover this period but they refused. Can this be right?
The NHS accepts responsibility for supplying ongoing medication for temporary periods abroad of up to 3 months. If a person is going to be abroad for more than three months then all that the patient is entitled to at NHS expense is a sufficient supply of his/her regular medication to get to the destination and find an alternative supply of that medication.
http://www.bma.org.uk/health_promotion_ ... jsp?page=2
If you want to
move to a non EU country then you'll have to look up the rules for that country. Most will involve some form of insurance.
If you work in the EU then you'll join the local health care scheme.
If you are wanting to move to an EU country ie live there for over 6 month, and you're of retirement age and receive a UK
state pension, it's relatively simple. If you follow the right procedure you can get health care under the same terms as someone in that country (basically the UK will pay a fixed rate per year for you to belong) However that doesn't necessarily mean completely free health care, it varies from country to country.
If you don't have a state pension (say for example you have an occupational pension)and want to move to another EU country without working then things are much more difficult .
The Uk will issue you with a document for up to 2 years (depends on the NI you've paid in the last 2 years) This will allow you to join the local scheme.(as with the OAPs the UK will in effect pay for your membership) When that runs out it's up to the country whether or not you can continue to belong even with a payment. SInce 2004 when the EU clarified the rules, fewer and fewer countries allow this so in most cases you have to obtain expensive private insurance (that's assuming you can get it); The alternative is to work (not always easy to get a job) or set up a business and pay contributions that way(lots of red tape and still may be expensive)
However if you make it to 5 years then you become entitled to permanent residence and can join under the same terms as locals.... We pay into the scheme in France that way, this costs us 8% of out taxed income, we also pay for a top up insurance to help pay for costs not covered.
Actually, it's very important that you get it right , and do things 'legally', otherwise it can be extremely expensive... and the UK won't bail you out.