Valencia: Deal Done For Expat Healthcare

Britons living in the Spanish region of Valencia have forced the local government to drop plans to strip thousands of expatriates of the right to public healthcare. Millions of British retirees have moved to the Spanish coast in recent years, many lured by property developers’ promises of a sunny retirement home overlooking the Mediterranean in resorts like Alicante and Benidorm. However recent arrivals have placed such a strain on Valencia’s health system that the regional government said earlier this year it would scrap cover for foreigners, even if they hold resident status in Spain.

After protests to the British Embassy in Madrid, consular staff and the region have thrashed out a deal whereby an estimated 3,000 early retirees will continue to receive healthcare for a ‘reasonable and affordable’ price. Pensioners are covered by the European Union’s reciprocal health system, which means the UK picks up the bill for treatment, but the arrangement does not cover early retirees. The deal will come into effect in January.