Author Topic: SGK Change?  (Read 3152 times)

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Offline Ian

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SGK Change?
« on: October 21, 2013, 17:41:21 PM »
Just read this on another forum - the poster has lived here for some time and is one of those people you know will be telling it as it is - with no exaggeration or embellishment.

Has anyone else heard this?

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After spending nine hours today trying to get my wife reinstated onto my Bag Kur/SGK which she has been on for more than 4 years I feel members should know of a major change in the Government policy.

As from 2 August this year, a spouse who is on the policyholder's SGK (whether it be Bag Kur or Genel Saglik Sigorta) is no longer covered IF they are "retired." As a result the spouse has to apply for their own policy and undergo medical checks to show they have no "chronic existing conditions."

We established this after my wife tried to get treatment at the Yucelen Private Hospital in Ortaca where she has had many treatments, and were told that the SGK no longer covered her and she had been removed from it.

We were sent to the SGK office where they confirmed the above. The staff - and the Area Director -said that all foreigners "who were retired or of retirement age in their own country" and were previously covered on their spouse's policy were being removed, or had already been removed and if they wished to still be covered by SGK had to apply for (and obviously pay for) their own cover.

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There was more  - about the new process for applying - medical etc - but this was the important bit - he lives in Ortaca / Dalaman area.



Offline Rimms

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2013, 20:33:24 PM »
My wife is on my my SGK policy and has had treatment recently at the Esnaf without any problem - but then again she's nowhere near UK retirement age ?

Offline Ian

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2013, 20:47:08 PM »
Rimms - we are also in the scheme - which is called GSS Prim - which I believe is the version of SGK for married couples - the person who posted has now added this:

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The new regulation applies to ALL the schemes under the SGK umbrella. As Teresa says we joined Bag Kur as it was the only one then applicable, but it also applies to the Genel Saglik Sigorta (the one around 240TL a month which is for married couples). Basically if you were a spouse covered on your husband/wife policy whichever part of the Government scheme and you are "retired" then you are no longer covered.

People are asking how the Turkish Government will know when you are retired. The first point that was made to me by the SGK was that they have copies of all our Ikhamets and if they say Emekle or Retired on them that is good enough for the SGK. They also point out that as yabancis are not working here (legally they cant of course) and class themselves as "retired" then they are in fact retired!

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Gill my other half is 52 and in her blue book we have profession down as finance assistant - the problem seems to be if it says emekli............. although I am sure they will do a "catch all" if they have really made their mind up!

Hopefully this is a misinterpretation at a local level - I wait with baited breathe !

Offline quackers

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2013, 06:23:37 AM »
Off to Esnaf on thursday so will see if it affects me as I am on my husbands Bağkür.

Offline Evie

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2013, 15:48:52 PM »
Im over 65 - Im a wife - in SGK - pay approx 240 TL a month per couple been on full treatment at Esnaf this past two weeks - seen two doctors - had numerous tests - 37TL . Same for neighbour who was seen at Mugla Hospital by various specialists this week this week and various esnaf doctots since August - no problems .











Offline Ian

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2013, 16:58:25 PM »
Evie - that is good to hear and I hope they do not change anything however the person that raised this has now had to enrol his wife on to SGK (GSS) whilst he remains on Bag Kur.

He has posted this today - just a part of his postings:

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From what the SGK told me today they are manually going through all foreign people registered on the system and removing the spouses who they believe to be of the age to receive State pensions from their own country. Obviously this will take considerable time, hence many people are still on the system. It may be (and I say MAY!) that those whose spouses are not of UK pension age and in receipt of a State pension will be totally safe and it will be business as usual. The whole point of my original post was not to alarm people but to raise the awareness of a potential serious issue.
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As I have said previously this could be an Ortaca / Dalaman local interpretation - but it is worth being aware - just in case .............................................

The other thrust of this debate is that it may have something to do with recent changes in ex-pats being now formally permitted too get treatment in the UK - although what good that is when you have moved to Turkey - I do not know !!!

Offline Evie

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2013, 15:08:59 PM »
Yes sgk office rang me in August and asked myself and my husbnd to go over to sign that we still wished to remain in SGK (they also rang my neighbours who came over and signed with us ) . The new system of having to have medical checks before you join applys to all new applicants spouses who joined after first week in August and are over 65 (we met an English lady at the SGK who had just had that explained to her and she was not happy about having the medicals). However she confirmed that  once they have completed medical checks they are allowed to join.

Offline Ian

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2013, 15:59:37 PM »
Yes - our letter arrived by recorded delivery about 2 weeks ago - according to our neighbour - so we will be going in to sign in a couple of weeks also.

However this new development is worth keeping and eye and an ear open :-)

Offline Ian

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2013, 15:22:55 PM »
This has still not been clarified I see:

https://www.facebook.com/yellaliturkey/posts/437920172976020

Offline Rimms

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Re: SGK Change?
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2013, 16:26:02 PM »
On the advice of the pro consul recently we went along to the new SGK office and saw Mr Gönder to sign the form to state we wanted to stay in the system. I asked him if there were any other changes we need to know about, "No" he told us, everything the same as when you first joined.




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