Paphos Life

ALMOST half of the population has registered with the National Health Scheme (Gesy), Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Thursday but foreign nationals living in Cyprus say this is not the case as they continue to encounter numerous problems....

Read the article and chat about it below...

I received an email from Gesy. The subject, in English, is "Basic Information about GHS-GESY".
The actual email is totally in Greek. However, when I clicked on the link, it took me to a web page with an English pull-down option.
Which didn't work ...
Methinks there still a little work to be done by the backroom guys!

We called at our doctors yesterday and was told that the Authorities are now accepting that if we have a medical card then we have had an E121 / S1
However they now need a Utility bill for each of us... But as all bills are in my name we have to supply a Marriage certificate, and a letter to say that I am still living with my wife at our home address..

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 7:23 am We called at our doctors yesterday and was told that the Authorities are now accepting that if we have a medical card then we have had an E121 / S1
However they now need a Utility bill for each of us... But as all bills are in my name we have to supply a Marriage certificate, and a letter to say that I am still living with my wife at our home address..

Wouldn't it have been easier to call Newcastle and ask for a reissue of S1s? Or is that a problem?

No it is not a problem... We have done that, but they have yet to arrive here at our address..

I think the utility bill was to prove that we Both live at our Polemi address. However all utility bills are in my sole name.. So I have had to provide a signed statement (letter) that I am married to my wife and that we both live at our Polemi address. I have had to provide our marriage certificate as well...
What can I say when they tell me they need these things... I can't say No !!!

Well, I have had an email confirmation from the village Dr that I am now fully registered as one of his patients. Just hope I don't need any medical services during this "in limbo" period until the new system gets fully up and running, with any teething problems sorted out.

PW in Polemi wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 8:22 am Well, I have had an email confirmation from the village Dr that I am now fully registered as one of his patients. Just hope I don't need any medical services during this "in limbo" period until the new system gets fully up and running, with any teething problems sorted out.

The thing that surprises me is that you say the village doctor is a man.. I thought it was the lady that ran the Fiti surgery ??

For those intending to use the online system , make sure you get the code number from your doctor and I think the other code sent by email only last for 24 hr . I think you do not have to use the online system if you don’t want to .

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 8:59 am The thing that surprises me is that you say the village doctor is a man.. I thought it was the lady that ran the Fiti surgery ??

I don't know what is happening to her, Trev. I just know that the new doc, Dr Avraam something difficult to pronounce but beginning with T, is a relative of Katerina's at the supermarket and is busy setting up a new surgery next door to Pavlos and Natalie's supermarket, to be open 3 half days a week to begin with, more if demand increases. I can give you more info, or you could ask in Katerina's if she still has any of the info and application sheets.

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 9:21 pm I think the utility bill was to prove that we Both live at our Polemi address. However all utility bills are in my sole name.. So I have had to provide a signed statement (letter) that I am married to my wife and that we both live at our Polemi address. I have had to provide our marriage certificate as well...
What can I say when they tell me they need these things... I can't say No !!!

Similar info required from my Doc earlier today via text.

Yesterday morning (Monday) I took two complete new applications to our doctor.. Together with many other peoples forms I understand they have to go to Nicosia..

Varky wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:04 am

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 7:23 am We called at our doctors yesterday and was told that the Authorities are now accepting that if we have a medical card then we have had an E121 / S1
However they now need a Utility bill for each of us... But as all bills are in my name we have to supply a Marriage certificate, and a letter to say that I am still living with my wife at our home address..

Wouldn't it have been easier to call Newcastle and ask for a reissue of S1s? Or is that a problem?

What if you’re not entitled to S1 as in not pensioners

Trevor, having had to send my papers to Nicosia that they asked for after Mrs W added to her account under the ‘Dependent’ category - basically to prove we were connected, we then logged on and were able to select a Dr, I went for Dr Avraam that I’d previously met in the village the same day Kay met him, but noted there are now 2 Drs listed for the Polemi post code, the second being Dr Themoula Apostolou. I’ve never met her, but I guess this may be the lady who was in the village on Fridays?

Sadie, the details have been posted on one of the GESY threads before, but there are various categories of people who are entitled to, for example EU citizens who are working here and have and MEU1 and have paid their social insurance contributions, which is the category my wife who is currently self employed falls into and well below retirement age. I could have done the same but as she was logged in we did it off the back of her account but didn’t think it through that they would need a copy of our wedding certificate to validate that status. All very straightforward though. The least well implemented part of the system does seem to be for those in the S1 category, which given the shall we say demographic distribution of most of the ex U.K. people on the island, is probably generating the most noise / discussion in online forums etc. Basically, if you’re working, which from previous posts I think you are, are registered with immigration and employee have paid social insurance, based in our experience, it’s a doddle.

Ian

Good morning Ian... I think it was Kay that said she had registered with Dr Avraam and now of course yourself and wife.
Yes the other doctor you name, Dr Themoula is the 'Village Doctor' and has a surgery at various villages.

I wonder what you do if you are ill enough to want to see a doctor on the days when Dr Avraam is not working.. The same goes for the village doctor who attend Polemi on a Friday I believe.

Like you we have applied (for a second time) with a (E121) medical card, an MEU1 Yellow Slip, a Marriage certificate, and a letter to say we both live together at our Polemi address..

Sadie wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 7:19 am What if you’re not entitled to S1 as in not pensioners

I don't know.

According to the criteria set by the GHS law, EU citizens who have their ordinary residence in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Government are beneficiaries when the following conditions apply:

1 Work in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Government or
2 Have acquired the right of Permanent Residence (MEU3 permit) or
3 Are Family members (spouse, child) of a GHS Beneficiary or
4 Meet the provisions of EU Regulation 883 (S1 holders)

trevnhil wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 8:53 am I wonder what you do if you are ill enough to want to see a doctor on the days when Dr Avraam is not working.. The same goes for the village doctor who attend Polemi on a Friday I believe.

He is connected with Iasis Hospital, so can most likely be found there if needed outside of his Polemi surgery hours.

Trevor,
As Kay says, you can go and see him at Iasis. If I was feeling bad enough I couldn’t wait 2 days to see him, I’d either call for the ambulance we are registered with or go down to a private hospital, waving my private medical insurance flag. He’s going be available Tuesday and Thursday 16:00 - 19:00 and Saturday 08:00 to 12:00. Still way easier than trying to see a GP in the U.K. when we still lived there.

Ian

trevnhil wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 8:53 am Good morning Ian... I think it was Kay that said she had registered with Dr Avraam and now of course yourself and wife.
Yes the other doctor you name, Dr Themoula is the 'Village Doctor' and has a surgery at various villages.

I wonder what you do if you are ill enough to want to see a doctor on the days when Dr Avraam is not working.. The same goes for the village doctor who attend Polemi on a Friday I believe.

Like you we have applied (for a second time) with a (E121) medical card, an MEU1 Yellow Slip, a Marriage certificate, and a letter to say we both live together at our Polemi address..

Dr Avraam's main surgery is in the Iasis Hospital.