BRUSSELS TO CARE FOR FOREIGN PENSIONERS

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The European Union will assume the costs arising from long-term care services provided by Spanish institutions over the course of 2009 to citizens insured in other Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

On 24 November, the European Union Accounting Committee approved the proposed accounts presented by Spain for 2009 that, for the first time, included long-term care expenditure as well as the cost of healthcare services provided by the Spanish Public Health Services to citizens visiting Spain from other European States.

The approved expenditure procedures represent a payment of 1,244.87 euro per year per family in the case of working families and 3,987.94 euro per person for pensioners and their relatives.

The average expenditure figures in Spain, which include the provision of long-term care services, determine the overall monthly quota that the Spanish Social Security Service will bill institutions from the various EU Member States for their citizens residing in Spain for their right to receive benefits in kind.

The number of European citizens to whom said costs for healthcare services are applicable currently stands at an average 150,000. This figure includes those people who receive long-term care benefits through Spanish bodies.

The net balance of the amounts received by the National Social Security Institute under the overall quota is distributed annually to the autonomous regions according to current legislation. In 2009, this total amount stood at 269,678,141.10 euro.

Spain forms part of a small group of countries that presents these accounts in advance so that the corresponding reimbursements to compensate incurred costs can be received as soon as possible.

Spain, France and Italy present the highest billing totals due to these countries being traditional tourist destinations and, therefore, popular places for citizens from other Member States to reside.