Working Overseas - acquiring Enbrel for family member

[Fletcher2020]

Good evening,

Planning to travel overseas next year and work in Europe. My daughter uses Enbrel injections for her arthritis. In Australia our health care and medical benefits cover the cost of her injections. Purchase of subsequent injections is possible but expensive in other countries. Any suggestions on how to apply for financial support for Enbrel injections in Europe? Which countries subsidise the injections once you are working and paying tax?

[helixhelix]

Damn, just wrote a long reply and it vanished... short version

Easiest could be to take out health insurance?

But in general it will depend on your employment status and visa. I know about France because I live here, other countries will be different.

Here if you come on a full working visa you can join the health service as soon as you start a proper job. Once in the health service you are like any other French person and your costs are generally covered 70%. But because RA is a chronic illness there is a special system (ALD) which covers costs 100%. I pay nothing for my Enbrel. If your daughter is under 18 she can be included in your health cover.

BUT, the big difficulty can be finding a rheumatologist! Enbrel can only be prescribed by a hospital qualified rheumatologist and when I first arrived the waiting time for an appointment was 6 months. You also first need to get the diagnosis accepted so can get ALD exemption. Much will depend on where you are, as big variation.

[springcross in reply to helixhelix]

Hi helixhelix. I've had several of my messages disappear before being sent too.

[AgedCrone in reply to helixhelix]

Wonder if our replies got through hh?

[AgedCrone]

I seriously suggest you contact the embassy Visa/ work permit section of the country you intend to visit and get all the information from them.

Unless you have all the correct paperwork you will not be allowed to work in Europe.....hence you would not be able to join any state medical scheme.

You could you take out travel insurance but that would only cover emergency treatment not ongoing treatment for an existing condition.

As hh says... Rheumatologists are very thin on the ground and it would not be unusual to have to wait six months before you could see one if you arrived in England.

Please do get all these details sorted out before you leave Australia ...if your daughter is presently taking Enbrel she will be needing a rheumatologist to prescribe that drug..... Privately that would be very expensive.

I have never heard of any scheme providing financial assistance to help buy prescription drugs either in Europe or the UK.

Sorry to be so negative but it’s a long way to come to find out you can’t get medical assistance for your daughter.