Healthcare in Malta

robpw2 wrote:

https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/chief_medical_officer/eu_healthcare_entitlement_unit/rec_agree_maltauk.aspx

This is the information you need

cheers rob thought I was going a bit daft in my old age lol

Jasminej wrote:

I wonder if it matters that my husband gave up his UK residency (for tax reasons).  He only pays into NI.

He's a British citizen still so he's entitled to the rha check that link I gave you

robpw2 wrote:

Jasminej wrote:

I wonder if it matters that my husband gave up his UK residency (for tax reasons).  He only pays into NI.

He's a British citizen still so he's entitled to the rha check that link I gave you

yep same thing I said

The RHa is only valid for two years and then renewable  - you must  not work  - most not be on state pension. plus any ehic you have becomes invalid once you are resident in malta  - and you cannot hold an ehic legally once in receipt of the RHA

"and you cannot hold an ehic legally once in receipt of the RHA"

We do!  EHIC is issued by the UK and we have just renewed it.

Terry

tearnet wrote:

"and you cannot hold an ehic legally once in receipt of the RHA"

We do!  EHIC is issued by the UK and we have just renewed it.

Terry

Persons registered with the Entitlement Unit under this scheme will be issued with an entitlement card hereinafter referred to as RHA Entitlement Card.
Persons issued with the RHA Entitlement Card will be entitled for free healthcare services in local public healthcare institutions on an in-patient and out-patient basis as well as other specialist services provided for Maltese nationals.
RHA Entitlement Card holders will not be entitled for:

    treatment abroad including the UK
    the European Health Insurance Card
    long-term care and other things and services provided for under the Social Security Act and other legislation.

robpw2 wrote:

tearnet wrote:

"and you cannot hold an ehic legally once in receipt of the RHA"

We do!  EHIC is issued by the UK and we have just renewed it.

Terry

Persons registered with the Entitlement Unit under this scheme will be issued with an entitlement card hereinafter referred to as RHA Entitlement Card.
Persons issued with the RHA Entitlement Card will be entitled for free healthcare services in local public healthcare institutions on an in-patient and out-patient basis as well as other specialist services provided for Maltese nationals.
RHA Entitlement Card holders will not be entitled for:

    treatment abroad including the UK
    the European Health Insurance Card
    long-term care and other things and services provided for under the Social Security Act and other legislation.

If you are a UK state pensioner and have a health certificate through the S1 route then the UK government will issue you with an EHIC card.
(UK state pensioners are covered for full NHS treatment if they visit the UK - as of 6th April,2015)

Ray

I meant to say 4500 euros per annum? wtf did you put in for full international cover with overseas coverage and GP visitis and meds? they wanted 30 euros a month from me for the better level of cover for malta only so not sure you got a malta quote or a bupa international one lol

hmmm, perhaps I made a mistake!

Everything in my flat seems to be breaking (oven, boiler and now shower) just three months before we move, so maybe I should get any ailments out of the way too (new hip, knee and buttocks perhaps?)

the difference with you guys Terry is that you are retired and in pension

and you wouldnt need the RHA cert  anyway

Toon wrote:

the difference with you guys Terry is that you are retired and in pension

and you wouldnt need the RHA cert  anyway

I know, got to be some perks with getting old!!   

Terry

we havent been able to legally have a valid ehic for 7 years...

not resident in uk -  its residency based in UK
not paying SSC in malta - its contribution based in malta
not paying social contriibutions here in Cyprus - contribution based here too

I know i can get one illegally though - and many still do and are using them all over Europe

Private Healthcare here for us and private ambulance service too - as the local ones dont have pukka paramedics on board - the private one does - british too.... lol

and heres one for the pot - here even if you pay social contributions you dont get free healthcare until you ve paid in for three years

ah well  - roll on state pension in 8 years time

Pig Ear wrote:

I meant to say 4500 euros per annum? wtf did you put in for full international cover with overseas coverage and GP visitis and meds? they wanted 30 euros a month from me for the better level of cover for malta only so not sure you got a malta quote or a bupa international one lol

hmmm, perhaps I made a mistake!

Everything in my flat seems to be breaking (oven, boiler and now shower) just three months before we move, so maybe I should get any ailments out of the way too (new hip, knee and buttocks perhaps?)

ha ha yes but new buttocks? is there even such a thing? lol

Pig Ear wrote:

I meant to say 4500 euros per annum? wtf did you put in for full international cover with overseas coverage and GP visitis and meds? they wanted 30 euros a month from me for the better level of cover for malta only so not sure you got a malta quote or a bupa international one lol

hmmm, perhaps I made a mistake!

Everything in my flat seems to be breaking (oven, boiler and now shower) just three months before we move, so maybe I should get any ailments out of the way too (new hip, knee and buttocks perhaps?)

The bionic man meets Malta lol

robpw2 wrote:

Pig Ear wrote:

I meant to say 4500 euros per annum? wtf did you put in for full international cover with overseas coverage and GP visitis and meds? they wanted 30 euros a month from me for the better level of cover for malta only so not sure you got a malta quote or a bupa international one lol

hmmm, perhaps I made a mistake!

Everything in my flat seems to be breaking (oven, boiler and now shower) just three months before we move, so maybe I should get any ailments out of the way too (new hip, knee and buttocks perhaps?)

The bionic man meets Malta lol

maybe pig ear is really Lyndsay Wagner (not that I am drooling at the concept or anything tacky like that of course) lol

So it looks like this will only cover my husband?

Jasminej wrote:

So it looks like this will only cover my husband?

no as you are married you are his spouse and therefore covered at least that is what I thought but cant find it laid down anywhere. can anyone else shed some light?

this is a copy and paste from the forum of a post of what to do:

Re: Health cover, reciprocal health agreement, & my non EU spouse

Hi trist101

Welcome to the forum.

As I have already replied/answered this question on an another post, I suggest you read through the earlier posts.

To cut the story short - I applied for Economic Self-Sufficiency last week and I can assure you the RHA card will be sufficient.

Just go to the Entletment Unit with your passports, marriage certificate and proof of address along with your non-EU spouse ( I am in the same boat, my spouse is non-EU).

They will give you a temporary certificate each (Covering 1 year) and present it with your application.

Thanks
SMeddie

redders_61 wrote:

robpw2 wrote:

Pig Ear wrote:

hmmm, perhaps I made a mistake!

Everything in my flat seems to be breaking (oven, boiler and now shower) just three months before we move, so maybe I should get any ailments out of the way too (new hip, knee and buttocks perhaps?)

The bionic man meets Malta lol

maybe pig ear is really Lyndsay Wagner (not that I am drooling at the concept or anything tacky like that of course) lol

More Wagner than Lindsay Wagner I'm afraid redders

could be worse ...chico time...lol

Concerning NHI contributions.

I am a British citizen now living in Malta, I recently got married to a lady from Mauritius who now resides with me in Malta with her 2 daughters, my question is...
Does my wife and 2 daughter also become eligible for medical treatment under my NHS contributions from the UK.

The two daughters are aged 15 and 20

So far I have done nothing as I asked my doctor in Scotland before I left,he said if their is something wrong there is very little difference
,

yes practice nurse in UK asked me where I was moving, when I said Malta she said oh good they look after you over there

Hi , I came to live in Malta in Dec 2014.  I have had Crohns for forty years . when i had adhesions in January i went into Mater Dei and can say without doubt i had THE best treatment , so much more than i have ever had in the UK . the nurses and doctors were brilliant , changed all my meds and i feel like a new person . I have confidence in myself now when i go out and anyone who has Crohns will know what i mean . the hospital is so clean like it used to be many years ago in UK but because of all the cut backs its rare you see a cleaner on the wards ,so in all im glad i came to live here cant fault it at all and a very big thank you to Mater Dei.

lizzimint wrote:

Hi , I came to live in Malta in Dec 2014.  I have had Crohns for forty years . when i had adhesions in January i went into Mater Dei and can say without doubt i had THE best treatment , so much more than i have ever had in the UK . the nurses and doctors were brilliant , changed all my meds and i feel like a new person . I have confidence in myself now when i go out and anyone who has Crohns will know what i mean . the hospital is so clean like it used to be many years ago in UK but because of all the cut backs its rare you see a cleaner on the wards ,so in all im glad i came to live here cant fault it at all and a very big thank you to Mater Dei.

couldn't agree more I spent a day in A&E last summer (debate to admit me or not) I was gobsmacked how clean it was how attentive the staff were, how little wait I had between the A&E consultant and the duty Oncologist seeing me. all in all a very refreshing sight and not a trolley in sight. End result was that they picked up my Hypothyroidism and I am now on thyroxine and all in all a new man.

ricky wrote:

To be self-employed and pay NI contributions you have to be resident first ...

Quite simple !

Ricky

I don't think that's correct, one way of applying for residency is through self-employment. First you sort out self-employment, then residency. (And in other to start as self-employed, you first need a social security number.)

At least that's how I did it.

I have gone through the process of getting a Certificate of Entitlement, ID card and recently seen a consultant about getting my Blood Pressure Pills free of charge as part of Schedule 5.  I have been to St Luke's Pharmacy OYC  to get a Yellow Card, nominated a pharmacy, been given vouchers for each month of the year for the pills but have been to the pharmacy this morning to get the pills only to be told that I need to see a Doctor each month to get a prescription. 

Having taken 8 months to get this far it is extremely frustrating!

welcome to Malta  - i'd say you will get used to it over time....

DaveCr wrote:

I have gone through the process of getting a Certificate of Entitlement, ID card and recently seen a consultant about getting my Blood Pressure Pills free of charge as part of Schedule 5.  I have been to St Luke's Pharmacy OYC  to get a Yellow Card, nominated a pharmacy, been given vouchers for each month of the year for the pills but have been to the pharmacy this morning to get the pills only to be told that I need to see a Doctor each month to get a prescription. 

Having taken 8 months to get this far it is extremely frustrating!

A friend of mine has an ongoing requirement for medication and has a yellow card etc etc. but instead of seeing his doctor every month he collects his prescription from a doctor who visits our local parish council office just for this purpose.
Perhaps you could inquire at your council to see if you could do that if it's more convenient.

Ray

Thanks Ray I will look to see e if this service is available in Marsaskala

So I finally got the quote back from BUPA, rates were very reasonable but it covers almost nothing!  It looks like it is mainly for emergency treatment.  I will definitely be looking into the RHA entitlement. I will probably pay for the BUPA policy monthly just to have coverage in between.

I too have blood pressure tablets that I bought on prescription from the UK,  a friend of mine told me about buying the same tablets on-line, without the need of a prescription, now that's what I do, check out the on-line pharmacies. they are often cheaper than a UK prescription.
You should also keep your doctor visits up to date 

Some interesting comments, which I assume are based on experience of the individual using the healthcare system.
So, my partner and I have had unfortunately several experiences with the healthcare system in Gozo and it has been found wanting. Firstly let me confirm that I do not set out to criticise in any way the staff who have helped us as their willingness to try and treat us has been genuine and to the best of their ability. However, the key to the healthcare is in the word ' reciprocal '. This means that treatment you will receive will not be the same as the UK, but to the standard of that which a Maltese person will receive, which we found poor in modern standards of healthcare. They do not have the expertise in many fields, which is understandable due to the size of the country,or the hygiene levels that you would equate with a UK hospital. We have now had to return to the UK because of an accident in Gozo which resulted in serious damage to my partners shoulder. Basically after four days of pain, the doctors readily admitted that they did not know how to treat this injury and suggested we go back to the U.K. for treatment. One visit to A & E in the U.K and the operation took place two days later.
I feel sorry for the healthcare staff who from my outlook are working in an environment which is short of money and overall expertise in the form of consultants and modern facilities.

two words....Airport Pharmacy

One word....JOBSWORTHS

I hate them with a passion not that you can tell lol

redders_61 wrote:

two words....Airport Pharmacy

One word....JOBSWORTHS

I hate them with a passion not that you can tell lol

yesterday as above...airport: sorry your prescription only says to be repeated but doesn't say indefinitely. me: thyroxine is for life. don't worry give me it back I take it somewhere else.

today....cheminart , republic street. how many do you want? me: how many can I have? her: many as you want 20 50 100 boxes?. me oh just 4 please, airport wouldn't let me have any yesterday as no "indefinite" on it. her: it says to be repeated, that's valid for a year.

moral to the story (not my first problem like this) is avoid airport pharmacy unless all the I's are dotted and the T's crossed

I had to get two medicines from the pharmacy yesterday went to one in poala opposite the health centre and had to pay €15 lol I could cry but I need them

Been told I might need to get a controlled drugs card has anyone had one of these ?

robpw2 wrote:

I had to get two medicines from the pharmacy yesterday went to one in poala opposite the health centre and had to pay €15 lol I could cry but I need them

Been told I might need to get a controlled drugs card has anyone had one of these ?

I had to pay 25 last summer for antibiotics. no sorry not me I have heard the list is different here from UK for controlled but not sure what is on it