Paphos Life

As there is no such thing as a free lunch just who is paying for Gesy?

Most of the population in taxes collected from people via their wage packets and for some via income tax

trevnhil wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:42 am With regards to funding, the government are the ones that have done their sums and said 4% will pay for the treatment for patients...

That´s what I don´t believe. E. g. the cost of the German healthcare system amounts to 12% of GDP. If I remember correctly that number is 9% for the UK. How can 4% of salaries (which on average are considerably lower in Cyprus) be sufficient?

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 10:46 pm

trevnhil wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:42 am With regards to funding, the government are the ones that have done their sums and said 4% will pay for the treatment for patients...

That´s what I don´t believe. E. g. the cost of the German healthcare system amounts to 12% of GDP. If I remember correctly that number is 9% for the UK. How can 4% of salaries (which on average are considerably lower in Cyprus) be sufficient?

How much more salaries are payed to German health workers? There's your answer

''As there is no such thing as a free lunch just who is paying for Gesy?''


Well a lot of cash spent on expats is funded by the UK's NHS system, OAPs in particular, we also will be paying into the GHS here from our bank balance and income, fair enough even if we are paying in twice. It is not free and as many of us will see it will be funded by your income. Just to say the GHS is nothing like the UK's NHS, not yet and I suspect never will be.

Maybe find a better answer on the Web,,

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/h ... dex_en.htm

https://proactpartnership.com/blog/eu-e ... e-uk-tknps

boycott wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 4:54 pm As there is no such thing as a free lunch just who is paying for Gesy?

1. Contributions
The main GHS source of financing is contributions. The payment of the contributions for the first phase will start on 1 March 2019 and for the full implementation on 1 March 2020.

The Contributors’ Categories are:
Employees
Employers
State
Self-employed
Pensioners
Income-earners
Government Officials
Persons responsible for the payment of remuneration to Goverment Officials

This link gives a more detailed account:

https://www.gesy.org.cy/sites/Sites?d=D ... ofinancing

JimX wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2019 6:55 am
Well a lot of cash spent on expats is funded by the UK's NHS system, OAPs in particular, we also will be paying into the GHS here from our bank balance and income, fair enough even if we are paying in twice. It is not free and as many of us will see it will be funded by your income. Just to say the GHS is nothing like the UK's NHS, not yet and I suspect never will be.

I do not think you are correct in saying us OAPs will be paying twice . It has been posted that the S1 will cover us completely .

Certainly as pensioners from the UK at the moment we do not make any contributions via tax, or out of our bank account.

trevnhil wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:28 pm Certainly as pensioners from the UK at the moment we do not make any contributions via tax, or out of our bank account.

Indeed very fortunate, unlike those who receive a Cypriot pension as they have to pay a contribution.

Hence it is important for every UK State Pensioner who has the S1 Form to get the letter from Nicosia - the accountant asked for a copy of it in preparation for completing the 2019 Cyprus Tax Form in a few months time.

WHL wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 11:07 pm

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 10:46 pm

trevnhil wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:42 am With regards to funding, the government are the ones that have done their sums and said 4% will pay for the treatment for patients...

That´s what I don´t believe. E. g. the cost of the German healthcare system amounts to 12% of GDP. If I remember correctly that number is 9% for the UK. How can 4% of salaries (which on average are considerably lower in Cyprus) be sufficient?

How much more salaries are payed to German health workers? There's your answer

They are higher, but not as much as 15% of salaries (that´s what Germans pay for healthcare - plus about 3 % for nursing care) are higher than 4%. Also doctor´s fees are heavily regulated. They can´t charge what they want. On average a GP has about € 10000/month left (pre tax and social security contributions) after having paid rent and salaries.

Mrblobby

Well a lot of cash spent on expats is funded by the UK's NHS system, OAPs in particular, we also will be paying into the GHS here from our bank balance and income, fair enough even if we are paying in twice. It is not free and as many of us will see it will be funded by your income. Just to say the GHS is nothing like the UK's NHS, not yet and I suspect never will be.



I do not think you are correct in saying us OAPs will be paying twice . It has been posted that the S1 will cover us completely .


Mr Blobby, As far as I am aware ex-pat GHS is partially funded from the NHS, when I said paying twice it was meant to say the UK NHS pay for some of our treatment not from our personal cash, in affect the GHS system is getting it twice.

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:27 am

galexinda wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:41 pmIndeed very fortunate, unlike those who receive a Cypriot pension as they have to pay a contribution.

Wife and I receive a small Cypriot pension, but do not make any contribution. I thought that pensioners were exempt from paing Gesy contributions?

Only the very lowest paid Cypriot pensioners are exempt from paying contributions to Gesy

' From 1 March 2019 the scheme will cover out-of-hospital care. Employees and pensioners, income-earners will have to contribute 1.7% of their income, employers 1.85%, the state 1.65%, and self-employed people 2.55%. From 1 March 2020 it will include hospital care, and contributions will rise to 2.65% for employees, 2.9% for employers, 4.7% from the state , and 4% for the self-employed. There are co-payments which are capped at €300 per year for patients and €75 per year for low-pension earners and recipients of Guaranteed Minimum Income. '

This thread >> viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9955&hilit=tasoula


Is this an exemption for paying contributions?

We certainly separately sent an email, and both of us received a confirmation letter (via email) to certify that we are not subject to contributions for GESY according to the General Health System Law of 2001.

Trev and/or Austin can you copy paste the contents of that email if possible please?

If Cypriot pensioners have to pay, then why are expat pensioners exempt , can someone explain please....

WHL,
Simple answer is that UK state pensioners in Cyprus get a contribution to their local medical expenses direct from the UK government. Whether this will continue for any great length of time after brexit, who knows.

Why have so many people joined Gesy if they do not know the cost(s) of doing so?

It appears from the posts that the situation regarding costs for each persons own individual circumstances are either not known or very unclear.

boycott wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 10:10 am Why have so many people joined Gesy if they do not know the cost(s) of doing so?

It appears from the posts that the situation regarding costs for each persons own individual circumstances are either not known or very unclear.

I was under the impression, joining is compulsory
Just googled it and it is not compulsory, but anyone who receives an income, has to pay a contribution to it.

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:27 am

galexinda wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:41 pmIndeed very fortunate, unlike those who receive a Cypriot pension as they have to pay a contribution.

Wife and I receive a small Cypriot pension, but do not make any contribution. I thought that pensioners were exempt from paing Gesy contributions?

''From 1 March 2019 the scheme will cover out-of-hospital care and see the start of contributions from employees.
Employees and pensioners will have to contribute 1.7% of their income, employers 1.85%, the state 1.65%, and self-employed people 2.55%''.

There were articles in the media in March/April highlighting the fact that 1.7% was being taken from the Cypriot State Pensioners and in one it stated it was taxed at source. Unfortunately the links to these articles are no longer accessible so the only references are similar to the one above.

The UK and Cyprus currently has an agreement that a person who has a UK State Pension and the S1 form does not have to pay contributions to GESY. Hence the need to get the letter from Nicosia mentioned in an earlier post.

With regards to co-payments (eg payments for prescriptions, tests, consultations with specialist doctors) there is an annual upper limit of €300. However, if you are are a Cyprus State Pensioner and your total income is less than €500 per month then the annual upper limit is €75.