Costa Blanca Expats To Lose Free Healthcare

Half a million British ex-pats living in Costa Blanca in Spain are to lose their free healthcare under a new law being introduced by the region’s provincial government.

The Spanish authorities say that British expatriates living in the Valencia region, most of whom are over 50, are placing a too high a burden on the local health service. A spokesman for the regional health ministry said: ‘It is costing us an extra €1bn [£790m] annually to look after a million new residents as well as long-stay tourists, and our services are at saturation point.’

The move has caused alarm in the expatriate community on the Mediterranean coast. Many made the move to Spain on retirement under the impression that they would be looked after by the medical system there but now they are being coerced into taking out expensive private insurance.

A British embassy spokesman said UK pensioners and individuals on long-term incapacity benefit who are living permanently in Spain would be unaffected, as they are covered under a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK. Those who will lose their entitlement - mainly early retirees aged over 50 - were being advised to take out private health insurance.