• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Moving to Spain

P

Pol_Ie

Member
Messages
13
Location
Drogheda
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Broccoli
Hi All,
I ran a search and similar questions have been asked before but my situation is a little different. I'm thinking of relocating to Spain with early retirement. I won't be working there and was wondering if anyone knows the cost of insulin (Novorapid and Lantus) and test strips. I know I probably would be entitled to nothing so was just trying to see what the cost would be to live over there. I will more than likely be involved in the music scene which is not exactly the same as paying tax so I will pay full price for the medication. Can anyone give me some idea of the cost ? Oh and is private health insurance for a diabetic expensive too ?. I'm Type 1

I'd be grateful for any help at all
Thanks a lot
 
Pol_Ie said:
Hi All,
I ran a search and similar questions have been asked before but my situation is a little different. I'm thinking of relocating to Spain with early retirement. I won't be working there and was wondering if anyone knows the cost of insulin (Novorapid and Lantus) and test strips. I know I probably would be entitled to nothing so was just trying to see what the cost would be to live over there. I will more than likely be involved in the music scene which is not exactly the same as paying tax so I will pay full price for the medication. Can anyone give me some idea of the cost ? Oh and is private health insurance for a diabetic expensive too ?. I'm Type 1

I'd be grateful for any help at all
Thanks a lot
Click to expand...
Impossible to say until the whole Brexit issue has been resolved one way or the other. As members of the EU you’d have the same right to treatment as a local; if we’re not, then you’ll have to pay for everything.
 
Pol_Ie said:
Cheers mate...i'm actually Irish so we're still in the club :)
Click to expand...
Bit (incredibly) jealous now! As I understand it you’re entitled to the same care as a Spanish T1, it’d be worth looking up what they get.
 
I needed more strips for peace of mind on holiday last month .... i got some Contour Next for £32 ×50 . Dont know about the insulin, i am curious as you can buy over the counter apparently ..im going to get a price when i go again in a few weeks .
 
LooperCat said:
Bit (incredibly) jealous now! As I understand it you’re entitled to the same care as a Spanish T1, it’d be worth looking up what they get.
Click to expand...
I'm not 100% convinced that is correct.. when we lived in France as early retirees with no pension and not of pensionable age we were entitled to precisely zero French health care without paying for it.
If you haven't paid into the healthcare system in the country you move to you may not get the cover you expect. If you are a retiree with a state pension then you could be ok though. Definitely worth contacting the Spanish embassy to ask maybe?
 
It's amazing how nobody seems to know for sure. I've been making some more enquiries today and still can't get a definite answer. Might have to hop on a plane over there and go see a doctor :nurse:
 
Don't know if you are still in Spain, but like you I am type1 on the pump, hoping to move to Spain.
I am retiring early so won't be working or have state pension, just private pension.
What if any healthcare can I hope for, free
 
Pol_Ie said:
Hi All,
I ran a search and similar questions have been asked before but my situation is a little different. I'm thinking of relocating to Spain with early retirement. I won't be working there and was wondering if anyone knows the cost of insulin (Novorapid and Lantus) and test strips. I know I probably would be entitled to nothing so was just trying to see what the cost would be to live over there. I will more than likely be involved in the music scene which is not exactly the same as paying tax so I will pay full price for the medication. Can anyone give me some idea of the cost ? Oh and is private health insurance for a diabetic expensive too ?. I'm Type 1

I'd be grateful for any help at all
Thanks a lot
Click to expand...

Pol_Ie - I'm sort of with @bulkbiker in being sceptical you would receive totally reciprocal healthcare in Spain. My rationale is that the EHIC card only covers emergency care, although that's generally for visits, rather than living there.

We travel a bit, and if we're going somewhere new I always join an ex-pat forum. On there, there are usually members who have done similar things, and I'd be astonished if you didn't get some decent information doing that.

I'd just Google "expat forum Madrid" or wherever you're planning to live. I just googled exactly that and there are at least 10 fora listed, just on the front page.
 
Thank you all for the links and advice. I'll google some expat forums and see what I can come up with. I'm also going to contact the Spanish embassy here and see what they say. I'll post back anything helpful I find. Thanks again
 
Pol_Ie said:
Thank you all for the links and advice. I'll google some expat forums and see what I can come up with. I'm also going to contact the Spanish embassy here and see what they say. I'll post back anything helpful I find. Thanks again
Click to expand...
Hi there,I've been living in Spain (I am not British) for some time now and my son is type 1 diabetic so I may give you some info.Private insurance as far as I know don't cover diabetes costs as it is pre-existing condition.when you get all the residency documents and tarjeta sanitaria ( HEALTH INSURANCE CARD) you can schedule appointments at a clinic to have check ups with the endocrinologist.you may also have coverage for insulin, I don't know in your case as you won't be working.the full cost of insulin in the farmacy is 270 for 10 vials of humalog as I can see from prescriptions (what my son uses).needles can be bougjt in the farmacy or online on amazon and such-BD 4mm box100 costs 19 euros app.test strips also 19 for a box of 50, I think.
Hope this helps a little.
Wish you all the best
Natt
 
Hello,
I'm just wondering how things went for you with all of this? We are looking into whether we can move to Spain with our son who is five with Type One (He is on a pump). Thanks :)
 
Back
Top