Healthcare in Spain
The Spanish healthcare system is excellent. Though the central government used to be the sole regulator, now, each of the country’s 17 regions takes individual responsibility for the implementation and execution of the system within their respective locale.
The system combines both private and public healthcare, and locals and expats alike in possession of a Spanish social security number and the necessary medical card are entitled to receive free or low cost healthcare.
Public healthcare in Spain
The hospitals provide much of the first line healthcare and emergency services for the Spaniards. The people in the industry are efficient and well educated, and hospitals employ personnel who speak English or offer the services of interpreters. Unlike in many other health systems, Spanish doctors will try find you the cheapest drug to use, rather than one that gives them a rebate.
Though the sector has been known to suffer from staff shortfalls, the queues and waiting periods are manageable due to the fact that many opt for private healthcare options.
The medical card you will need to access the universal healthcare available in Spain can be obtained from your local social security office. It is necessary to therefore have a social security number – a logistic that can only be organized by those who have successfully arranged a work permit of some sort. As a non-resident you do not qualify to receive the universal healthcare available.
Private healthcare in Spain
As always, private healthcare gives more options. While the choice of which doctor to go to or which specialist to see is important, the benefit of being on private health is that you can shortcut the queues of the public health system, which can be vital for serious illnesses. There are hundreds of private clinics across the country, so the private healthcare system gives a greater degree of accessibility. The public health services sometime only cover 75% of the cost of treatment, while the private companies will pick up the full amount. You can expect to pay around € 1000 for full private healthcare, which makes Spain fairly inexpensive for this level of care.
The rule of thumb is to call your insurance company before you call a doctor. Also if you are with a lesser known insurance company, you may have to pay upfront and claim back later.
The system combines both private and public healthcare, and locals and expats alike in possession of a Spanish social security number and the necessary medical card are entitled to receive free or low cost healthcare.
Public healthcare in Spain
The hospitals provide much of the first line healthcare and emergency services for the Spaniards. The people in the industry are efficient and well educated, and hospitals employ personnel who speak English or offer the services of interpreters. Unlike in many other health systems, Spanish doctors will try find you the cheapest drug to use, rather than one that gives them a rebate.
Though the sector has been known to suffer from staff shortfalls, the queues and waiting periods are manageable due to the fact that many opt for private healthcare options.
The medical card you will need to access the universal healthcare available in Spain can be obtained from your local social security office. It is necessary to therefore have a social security number – a logistic that can only be organized by those who have successfully arranged a work permit of some sort. As a non-resident you do not qualify to receive the universal healthcare available.
Private healthcare in Spain
As always, private healthcare gives more options. While the choice of which doctor to go to or which specialist to see is important, the benefit of being on private health is that you can shortcut the queues of the public health system, which can be vital for serious illnesses. There are hundreds of private clinics across the country, so the private healthcare system gives a greater degree of accessibility. The public health services sometime only cover 75% of the cost of treatment, while the private companies will pick up the full amount. You can expect to pay around € 1000 for full private healthcare, which makes Spain fairly inexpensive for this level of care.
The rule of thumb is to call your insurance company before you call a doctor. Also if you are with a lesser known insurance company, you may have to pay upfront and claim back later.
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