US citizen with HIV wants to retire in Spain

[Partner of Poz]

My partner is HIV positive.  His employer provided health insurance covers the cost of his meds.  We would really love to retire overseas - specifically Spain - but international health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.  How can we move to Europe and still be able to obtain his meds?  While we have planned carefully to be able to have sufficient retirement income to live, his meds are quite expensive without insurance.  Any advise?  Anyone else have a similar problem?  Thanks!!

[harleymc]

Hola.

Plan A, obtaining citizenship to a EU country?

plan B.
You need a doctor who will design a regime of medications that can be sourced from generic manufacturers. These will not be cutting edge combination pills but the quality is good. Source these generic medications  from Indian pharmaceutical companies. Basically if you have a prescription you will be able to import 3 months supply at a time for personal use.

Plan C, holiday regularly in Spain but don't move there.

[Partner of Poz]

Thank you!  All three are certainly worth considering.

[harleymc]

I hope you get something nice working out for you both.

[Partner of Poz]

Thank you.  As we research more, the option of keeping a place in the US and taking holiday in Spain may be the only option.  Spain (and all EU countries so far as I can tell) require health insurance to obtain a permanent resident visa.  So can't even get him a visa even if we were willing to pay for the meds without insurance.  We have asked several international health insurance companies and none will insure a person with a pre-existing condition.  We are wondering if I obtain a resident visa and move to Spain then marry him, will be allowed to stay as my spouse?  We were planning to marry this year but may wait and get married in Spain if that option would work. 

[Jim Allen]

PM'ed you.

[annataz]

Jim could you contact me as well  - we want to move to spain or portugal (spain pref) and need to maneuver this tricky situation.. I am fully covered usa with no!! deductible even for meds atm and need to see what we could do to get the insurance required...so frustrating

[TGun]

maybe cabanueva is an option at some point???

consider thailand also,, buying HIV meds there is super cheap.. thats my plan