In Spain it is possible to access both public and private health.
Public health
If you meet any of the following criteria, you have public health coverage:
- Being a worker (either employed or self-employed), who makes contributions to social security.
- Being a pensioner or receiving some periodic benefit from Social Security (for example, the unemployment benefit)
- Be on record as a job seeker, once the unemployment benefit has been exhausted and without receiving any other benefit.
- Being a Spanish resident and not being able to access the private health system (being able to prove it).
In the case of citizens of the European Union who are not residing in the country, but who need access to health care, they must go to the doctor (in a public hospital) with the European health card.
If you are an expat living in Spain, you will need a Social Security number to be able to go to the corresponding health center (according to your registered address) to process your health card.
Once you have asked for your public health card it will take approximately 2 months to arrive by mail at your address. You will get a provisional sheet with the necessary data to be attended until then.
How does public health appointments work?
It is necessary to request an appointment (by phone or in person at the health center), with your assigned “family” doctor. This doctor will always be the first one to visit you, and then determine if he can resolve the query or if you will be referred to another specialist.
Private health
Private health consists of paid health insurance. There is a wide variety of insurance, each with different options, with varied prices and coverage.
Insurance prices starts at approximately 20€ a month and increases depending on the services they provide and the characteristics of the applicants.
Normally the cheapest options include copayment for some services. For example, if you should pay 80€ for a neurologist visit but you have a copayment insurance and you already pay 20€ a month, instead of paying 80€ the day of the visit you would pay 12€ (a part from the monthly 20€). This will depend on the characteristics of the insurance contracted.
If you are applying for an immigration visa or residency and work permit, you will normally need to contract an insurance with full coverage and hospitalization included.
When you contract a health insurance you obtain a card which enables access to the services in different hospitals and private clinics.
How does private health appointments work?
In this sense, private healthcare is more practical and faster than public healthcare, since you can book an appointment with the specialist you need directly without having to go through your GP first and then getting referred to a specialist.
It is as simple as requesting an appointment with the doctor you want.
