We now have more information on what pensioners will have to do when using the Spanish Health Centre. As you see this is not as complicated as U.S. public healthcare or to understand your own health insurance plan. Pensioners who use any medicaments will have to pay 10% of their costs when they collect them from the pharmacy. The new legislation imposes a monthly limit on what they pay from 8 to 60 € depending on their income, but whatever the income all pensioners will pay 10% and then the administration will calculate the refund which the Ministry of Health has six months to repay. Pensioners on non contributory or minimum pensions continue not having to pay. The co-payment scheme also includes orthopaedics, splints, wheelchair hire, dietetic products and non emergency ambulance transport. Working people currently pay 40% of the cost of medicaments, and under the changes this remains only to those who earn less than 22,000 € a year. Wages up to 100,000 € will see a 50% co-payment, and above that 60% will be charged. The unemployed pay nothing. The new legislation for pensioners see them paying 10% to a maximum of 8 € a month if they earn less than 22,000 €. If they earn up to 100,000 € the limit goes to 18 €, and above that the limit is 60 €. These limits are to be revised each year. Meanwhile, El País highlights the example of an illegal immigrant who arrives at hospital with tuberculosis. A patient with a health card would be sent to a specialist, but the illegal immigrant will be sent on his or her way, even though he is in an infectious state and is likely to spread the infection to others. The paper reports that the Ministry for Health has not resolved this in the legislation. Experts say they are worried about the risks.
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