Free prescriptions?

toonarmy9752 wrote:

RHA is renewable every two years

How is that done please?

georgeingozo wrote:

"Use S1 upon applying for Residence.
From then we get 2 1/2 years cover under RHA"

no - the 2 1/2 year limit is the max available under S1 (you may get less depending on when you last paid NI in the UK) - there is no time limit on RHA (although need to renew every 2 years)

S1 is an EU wide thing, the RHA only Malta-UK, and are completely separate issues

Perhaps a clarification of above? .

Your entitlement to S1 form is based on you having paid sufficient Class1 or Class 2 NI for two complete years immediately before the year you depart the UK. If you are NOT of pensionable age then cover is for two to two and a half years only. There is no further cover until you claim state pension.

If a UK citizen in Malta is already receiving a pension when he arrives in Malta then he cannot apply for RHA, he has to ask for transfer of his pension health rights via the S1 & DWP to Malta.
Correct me if I've got it wrong?

rooikat wrote:

georgeingozo wrote:

"Use S1 upon applying for Residence.
From then we get 2 1/2 years cover under RHA"

no - the 2 1/2 year limit is the max available under S1 (you may get less depending on when you last paid NI in the UK) - there is no time limit on RHA (although need to renew every 2 years)

S1 is an EU wide thing, the RHA only Malta-UK, and are completely separate issues

Perhaps a clarification of above? .

Your entitlement to S1 form is based on you having paid sufficient Class1 or Class 2 NI for two complete years immediately before the year you depart the UK. If you are NOT of pensionable age then cover is for two to two and a half years only. There is no further cover until you claim state pension.

If a UK citizen in Malta is already receiving a pension when he arrives in Malta then he cannot apply for RHA, he has to ask for transfer of his pension health rights via the S1 & DWP to Malta.
Correct me if I've got it wrong?

Oh no! here we go again!!!
This now puts a totally different slant on things, just as I was happy that we had it all covered.
Now according to rooikat we are without entitlement.
Yet, when I telephoned the DWP in Newcastle and explained our situation I was told that I would receive an S1 but that it was valid for 12 months only in any 12 month period Jan - Jan.
I should telephone again 1 month before leaving UK to give details to receive our S1.

I took early retirement at point of redundancy to look after Lynnder so I have not worked for 18 months so neither have I paid NI contributions. I have paid a total of 38 years into the 'pot' though.
Lynnder cannot work and left work due to her condition, early retirement again, certified ill health, and she has not paid into NI for 18 months though has paid 37 years contributions.
We both receive our full occupational pensions and I receive my MOD pension. We do not claim any Benefits. We are not qualified for UK State Pension yet. 

I think for my own mental health's sake that I should ignore any further postings (no disrespect intended)and just wait and see what happens but then I have to think about what to do before we get rid of all our furniture and burn our bridges here in the UK. I have until March to decide.

redmik wrote:

Health care here is superb BUT you will usually have to queue, even if you have an appointment. Don't know what it's like on Malta but here on Gozo it's fine.
First thing you MUST do is gain a Certificate of Entitlement from the office in Valletta by providing proof of adequate insurance cover or if a State pensioner or in some other cases an S1 Certificate provided to you before you leave UK by DWP, Newcastle. Tel: 0191 2181999 for information and issue.
You will need that before you apply for ID card etc, so that means you should bring as much medication as you can from UK, usually a maximum of 2 month's supply. But, as currently it is taking longer than 2 months to get the Certificate and then the ID card be prepared to pay for your medication for a few months.

You don't have to apply for the S1 certificate before you leave the UK, you can apply from Malta but naturally that will delay the whole process. We would advise at least 3 month's worth of medication (more if you can) as the process is extremely slow to obtain a 'yellow' chronic health card and finally the actual medication. You can only send in the relevant documentation applying for the yellow card after receiving your Eresidence card which can take up to 6 months or more - as we all know Once you have sent your Eresidence copy, entitlement document, consultancy approval and all relevant info to St Lukes hospital it can take another 3 to 4 weeks before the yellow card is posted to you. You then have to decide on your 'pharmacy of choice', show them all your documentation and yellow card and  they collate the info onto their computers and they send the documentation back to St Lukes for your 'prescription coupons! You could wait another week or two for the coupons and documents to come back to your pharmacy before you collect your first lot of chronic medication from the pharmacy. Our Eresidency application was fast tracked as we had run out of medicines, but even so the whole process from sending our ID application by post to receiving our chronic medication has taken 5 months. So please be prepared.

@georgeingozo

Hi. Any chance of getting this link too please?

@Jo Jo Toynton

You are replying to 10 year old post

    @Jo Jo Toynton
You are replying to 10 year old post
   

    -@Toon

Gosh, your still around Toon!