Non Residency tax advisers?

[Irish Rover]

As a contrast I'd like to share our experience of a hospital visit in Turkey yesterday as a result of my wife damaging a ligament in her knee at a yoga session. I am registered with the national health service here and pay 550TL = €120 per month as a company director. That covers me and my family for treatment in a public hospital. However we never go to the public hospital. We go to a private hospital and we pay the difference between the public and private rate called top up. So yesterday at 10.00 am approx we decided my wife needed to have her knee checked as she was in a lot of pain. I went online to the website of the local private hospital and put in her details. You can then select a specific appointment time with a named consultant. I got an appointment with an orthopedic consultant for 13.00. Arrived at 12.50 and registered at reception. Paid 35TL = €7.50 top up to see the consultant. The consultant asked for x ray and MRI so we went downstairs for that. Paid another 120TL = €26 top up. X ray and scan took around 20 minutes total then back to the consultant who confirmed damaged ligament and gave a prescription for gel, anti inflammatory and an elastic knee brace. He gave me a handwritten numeric code which I took to the nearest pharmacy and I paid 45TL = €10 top up for the whole lot. Total time spent in the hospital 1.25 hours. Wife doing well although some domestic chores transferred to me.

 

[GrahamM376]

There are a couple of fast track options outside the Portuguese HS as well. Obviously there are expensive full blown private hospitals but there also many private clinics offering specialist or routine consultations and treatment, tests , X rays etc. I had endoscopy at one of those a few years ago (only 2 day wait) which cost IIRC €80, an elderly friend recently had UTI and that cost €15 for lab test and €50 for Dr consultation to get prescription.

Main problem is that virtually all short and long term travel policies require phone call and won't authorise private treatment where State treatment with EHIC is available and for those 70+ private health cover is too expensive for most. As far as I'm concerned, a good reason to pay my UK tax, maintain residence and have NHS treatment available when needed.

 

[Irish Rover]

As far as I'm concerned, a good reason to pay my UK tax, maintain residence and have NHS treatment available when needed.

Absolutely agree with this. Unless there are other very compelling reasons to do so it makes little sense for most people to become non-resident and especially anyone who has reached or is close to retirement age.

 

[macd]

Absolutely agree with this. Unless there are other very compelling reasons to do so it makes little sense for most people to become non-resident and especially anyone who has reached or is close to retirement age.

Just as an aside to that, once you reach retirement age you are entitled to EHIC care even if non-resident in the UK, providing you or your spouse are in receipt of a UK government pension. Not widely known. Further info here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.es/faq/what-is-the-s1-form-and-how-do-i-use-it/

 

[macd]

By way of a P.S. to the above post (#44), the gov.uk web page describing this entitlement is: https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/movingabroad/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Click the link 'UK Pensioners' near the foot of the page.

Note that the only way to apply is by phone and that the number given on at least some of the 'country by country' pages on the site is wrong. Unless you particularly enjoy listening to tinned Bach, use this one: 0191 218 1999. You'll get enough muzak just using that. Amongst more-easily remembered things, you'll need your NI number. Strictly speaking, application for a form should be made within 28 days of departure from the UK. The form is posted to your overseas address.