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Health Systems & Wills
Health System
Cyprus does not yet have a general health system. The state health services provide medical care free of charge or at reduced fee rates to certain categories of residents as explained below.
- Free treatment is provided for individuals with a yearly income of up to £9 000 and for families with a yearly income of up to £18 000, raised by £1 000 for each child, as well as for various other groups such as state officials, deputies of the House of Representatives, state officials, government workers, people on state pensions, members of the National Guard, families with many children, certain categories of persons with a disability or chronic illness, students at the various tertiary institutions and residents of various charitable institutions, etc.
- Treatment with coverage of 50% of outpatient fees (treatment, that is, at state sector establishments without admission to hospital) is provided for persons with a yearly income of between £9 001 and £12 000 and for families with a yearly income of between £18 001 and £22 000, raised by £1 000 for each child. The fees for hospital treatment are fixed according to income, but in no cases exceed 50% of the standard fees.
- Hospital charges for the treatment of patients who are not in the categories stated above may be reduced according to level of the fees and the patient's income.
Emergency care is provided free for all persons who arrive at accident and emergency departments. Any further treatment in acute cases is provided on the basis of the conditions described above.
Temporary visitors to the island are also provided with treatment free of charge at state sector establishments when they present Form E111, and citizens of the European Union on state retirement pensions who transfer their residence to Cyprus are provided with treatment free of charge when they present Form E121. The cost of the treatment is charged to the patient's country of provenance on the basis of the Form E111 or Form E121.
All of the districts now have new hospitals, and construction of the New General Hospital in Nicosia is under way. In recent years, in particular, there has been substantial development of tertiary medicine, and, as a result, cases which used to be sent abroad for treatment are now treated in Cyprus .
At the same time, the private medical treatment sector has grown substantially and now caters for many cases requiring primary and secondary medical care. It should be noted that all cities in Cyprus have private hospitals and clinics as well as surgeries in all specialisms.
Many employers in Cyprus provide their workers with medical insurance packages which in most cases cover a large portion of the treatment cost.
Useful Contacts:
- Ministry of Health – Free Movement of Patients
Address: Ministry of Health, 1448, Nicosia
Tel.: 00357 - 22400115
- Ministry of Health – General Coordination of EU Affairs
Address: Ministry of Health, 1448, Nicosia
Tel.: 00357 - 22400195
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Wills & Inheritance Law in Cyprus
It is important to recognise that following a death, the legal and administrative procedures in Cyprus are not the same as those in other countries, the UK or other EU member states. The consequence of passing away without a valid Will can be serious. If you are considering moving to Cyprus it is most important that you review the provisions of your existing Will (if you have one) and take legal advice to ensure you have the correct measures in place to deal with your Cyprus assets on your death.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you live in Cyprus do you need a separate will for your Cyprus assets?
If you have a Will in your existing country of residency do not rely on this Will to deal with your Cyprus property without having sought expert legal advice from lawyers with experience in dealing with the administration of cross border estates. Generally, it is advisable to have a separate Will which deals with assets held in Cyprus .
If you own property in Cyprus in the joint names of spouse or partner does the property automatically pass to the surviving spouse or partner on death?
Many people assume that as the property is held in joint names then on the death of one party the property passes automatically to the joint owner. This is an incorrect assumption. The share of the property owned by the deceased does not pass automatically to the surviving joint owner. The estate of the deceased has to be administered and the property passes in accordance with the terms of their Will or local intestacy provisions. It is most important to make a Will to cover the distribution of any property owned in Cyprus if you wish to avoid the complications which would inevitably arise from the conflict of two different legal systems and the risk of the estate being divided under local rules.
Can you have two valid wills; one for Cyprus assets and one for assets held elsewhere?
Yes, but it is most important that if one of these Wills is made at a later date it does not unintentionally revoke the first Will. Great care has to be taken in the review and wording of the two Wills.
Is it true that under Cyprus law you cannot leave your estate to persons of your choice?
Under Cyprus Law there is a system of forced heirship. For example, if a person dies leaving a spouse and a child then three-quarters of the estate passes to the spouse and child in equal shares and the testator (the person making the Will) has the freedom to dispose of the remaining one-quarter share as he or she so wishes.
However, currently under Cyprus law, there is a concession for persons who/or whose fathers were born in the UK or in a country which is a member of the Commonwealth. Such persons are, provided they have a Will, allowed to leave their Cyprus assets to whom they wish on their death.
Please note : this concession does not apply to all EU Citizens. Therefore, should the concession not apply to you then it is most important to seek legal advice. In order that your chosen beneficiaries inherit your property you may need to consider the establishment of a Cyprus lifetime trust for any immovable property (house, land, apartment) held in Cyprus.
Prepared by: Marion J Carter BA (Hons) U K Solicitor
Registered Advocate of the Supreme Court of Cyprus . Member of STEP International (The Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners). Fellow member of the Society of Will Writers
Carter Leontiou Law Firm, 38 1st April Avenue, 5281 Paralimni , Cyprus
Tel : 00357 23819355, Fax : 00357 23819354, e-mail.
Copyright © 2005 Marion J Carter All Rights Reserved
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