My partner and I emigrated to Australia from the UK over forty years ago and have now decided that we would like to have look at Europe in our retirement.  I have just become eligible for my full Australian pension and my partner will become eligible for her pension in two more years. Australia and Spain does have an aged pension agreement so my partner will be able to claim her Australian pension from Spain if we become domicile in Spain. 

We return regularly to my very elderly parents home in the UK and still have a UK bank account, UK driving license, EU passport etc We are entitled to health cover if we were to returned to the UK, but my partner would not be able to claim her Australian Pension. UK and Australia no longer have a reciprocal aged pension agreement.

If we become domicile in Spain, which is really what we want to do early 2010 Will we be expected to take on private health insurance for the rest of our lives?  Can we get health insurance when we reach 75?

I am unable to find any definitive health care information which relates to an aged pensioner with a British Passport, who is paid a pension from outside the EU. 

Ron

Very interesting question. A situation that I guess few would find themselves in. Could a Spanish embassy in Australia help? Or the Australian embassy in Spain ? Keep us posted

You might like to look here:

http://www.spain.embassy.gov.au/madrcastellano/consular.html

Thanks Rob,

I will explore with the Spanish Embassy in Australian the possibility of contributing to the Spanish Health care system. I see that it is possible in Valencia, but our preference is Galicia, so we do need more information. We will be happy to contribute to Spanish Health care in the Galicia region if we can.

Further to my previous post I would add that we both paid into the NI whilst working in the UK, before we immigrated to Australia but not enough to qualify for a UK pension.  It is interesting that we get access to UK Health cover if we become domicile in the UK again. It is my understanding that treatment in Spain, but paid for by the UK Health system, is only available to pensioners receiving a pension from the UK and with some conditions.

If anyone has information relating to Health Cover in Galicia it would be appreciated. 

Peggotty

It is my understanding that treatment in Spain, but paid for by the UK Health system, is only available to pensioners receiving a pension from the UK and with some conditions.

Yes I think that is true.

I expect it is too late (don’t know how many years ago you left) but under certain circumstances it is possible to back date NI payments in UK system to attain full UK pension rights.

Sorry can’t comment on Galicia, as I live in the Valencia region.