Existing health systems in Spain

Existing health systems in Spain (Seguros Ginestar Costa Blanca).

Public hospitals provide much of the primary healthcare and emergency services that Spanish residents require. The people in the industry are efficient and well educated, and hospitals often employ personnel who speak English or offer the services of interpreters. Unlike in many other health systems, Spanish doctors will try to find patients the cheapest medications to use, as opposed to receiving rebates.

Public hospital facilities in Spain are generally well equipped, and some private health institutions have even been known to send seriously ill patients to state facilities because they can't afford the same standard of progressive instruments and medical equipment.

 

The downside is that the public sector has been known to suffer from staff shortfalls, and the waiting periods to see a specialist or have a procedure done can, in some cases, take months. Still, it is said that there are fewer deaths caused by delays in Spain than in other european countries.

To be able to use the public healthcare system (Sistema Nacional de Salud) expats would first need to get a social security card at the Social Security Treasury Office (Tesorería de la Seguridad Social). It is then necessary to obtain a medical card at their local clinic, which will give them the right to use the services of the nationwide public health network.

Expats should note that a social security number can only be obtained if they have registered on the Empadronamiento, the municipal register.

Non-residents unfortunately do not qualify to receive universal healthcare; however, there is a pay-in scheme for expats who aren’t otherwise able to access state healthcare, called the convenio especial.

Expats who choose to use state healthcare in Spain should note that they will not be able to choose a physician, since one will be appointed to them. There is also often a pointed lack of creature comforts, and those who prefer cushioned chairs and private rooms may want to utilise private healthcare.

However, some expats prefer private healthcare in Spain in order to have access to more options for treatment and physicians, and to avoid the queues of the public health system.

There are hundreds of private clinics and hospitals across the country, giving the private healthcare system a greater degree of accessibility.

While single consultations within the private healthcare system may be affordable for most expats, the care required in the case of a medical complication or in an emergency can quickly become expensive. As a result, it's recommended that expats who plan to regularly utilise private care take out health insurance.