Reprieve for early retirees

limitation announced last month on the right to state health care provision were aimed chiefly at non-working expats below pension age.

From June 5, foreign nationals not contributing to the Spanish social security system lost their right to health care in the part unless they had one of two forms:

• the E121, issued to British people men at 65 and women at 60; or

• the E106, extending access to state wellness services for up to 2½ years after an person ceases workings.

However, the British people Embassy in capital of Spain advised person affected to buy buck private medical insurance.

Consternation was widespread because some expats would not have budgeted for wellness cover earlier moving to Spain. But greater concern was felt by those who could not get buck private cover because of an established chronic ­unwellness, such as heart problem, diabetes or asthma attack.

The state of affairs broadly ­paralleled that in French Republic last year, when President Nicolas Sarkozy made buck private insurance mandatary for expat early retirees.

The move prompted an cry from the exile community, menace of legal action and diplomatic exchanges betwixt London and Paris.

Mr Sarkozy got his way in the long term, but those already in the scheme were allowed to continue.

Valencia too has moved to via media. It is offer early retirees continued entree to its hospitals and clinics in exchange for a every month ­part. Crucially, there will be no favoritism against those with pre-existing­ status.

In add-on, Valencia has deferred implementing the plan until Jan 15 next year. Anyone holding a wellness card, or SIP, due to expire before the Jan deadline will have it extended.

Valencia in kernel will be run a premium-based state checkup insurance strategy for certain expat ­categories, but without penalising sufferers with chronic diseases.

The big unknown is the size of the monthly contribution, a premium by another name. However, the British Embassy said it had been assured that the sum would be "reasonable and affordable".

The embassy emphasised that expats who had other means of accessing the health system would be excluded from the new arrangements.

Its statement said: "Anyone who renewed their SIP card before June 6, 2008 will have the full 12 months' cover until the card expires - eg, if you renewed your card or joined the scheme in May, you will have cover until May 2009."

The embassy said the regional government believed that about 1,600 Britons were affected.

Chris Barkell, the marketing director of insurer Exeter Friendly Society, which is active in the region, was not surprised by the crackdown.

He said many non-working expatriates under retirement age were not contributing to the health ­system and were gambling on using a European Health Insurance Card (Ehic). "They have been on a free ride," he said. "The Ehic is intended to cover emergency medicine only."

More information on the E121 and E106 at www.dwp.gov.uk/international/sa29