15 Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Spain

"Healthcare services in Spain are provided by both public and private institutions. The public healthcare system is funded by the government and is available to all Spanish citizens and legal residents. The quality of public healthcare is generally good, with a wide range of services available, including primary care, specialist care, hospital care, and preventive care. Foreign residents in Spain are also eligible to use the public healthcare system, provided they have a valid residence permit. Expats in Spain can use the public healthcare system by registering with the local health authority and obtaining a health card. This card allows them to access the same services as Spanish citizens, including free or discounted medical care," remarked one expat in Spain.

"Although the primary care from physicians and the local hospital/clinic are generally adequate, I recommend getting a second opinion before accepting a recommendation for major treatment like surgery, even though you will likely have to pay that out of pocket. Doctors, treatments, medications are dramatically less expensive here. Custom orthotics would have cost me approximately $300 in the US, but are $45 here. ," remarked one expat living in Altea.

"I would say medical care is excellent. For chronic medical conditions, it may be difficult to get an insurance and they will have to pay more. there are other expats with chronic condtions who are able to get private insurance," said one expat living in Granada.

"In Spain, medical services are generally of a high quality. The country has a well-developed public healthcare system, which is free for Spanish citizens and legal residents. Private healthcare is also available, and is often of a higher standard than the public system. Doctors in Spain are highly trained and experienced, and the country has a wide range of modern medical facilities," commented one expat living in Spain.

"One time I developed a very sore tooth. I was able to make an appointment for that same day, the dentist was very efficient (and spoke English). And the cost was about 12% compared to the same procedure in the U.S. I was impressed," wrote one expat.

"My policy costs 1017 Euros or about $1109 annually. It can also be paid monthly through a bank deduction. There is no co-pay, which is the requirement for the Spanish visa, so most treatment is included, but not prescriptions or outside consultation," mentioned one expat in Altea.

"We have a private health insurance with Sanitas and are happy with them. It’s acceptable at our nearest hospital. Sanitas was most well known health insurance among expats. They will take payments without a Spanish bank account, which we find very convenient because we didn’t have a Spanish bank account last year before we moved to Spain," commented one expat who moved to Granada, Spain.

"On my plan, there are two large private clinics/hospitals in Benidorm which is about a 45 minute bus ride or 20 minute car ride. I have heard and experienced both good treatment at these facilities, and also poor treatment, like a man I know who had surgery for a broken leg after being struck by a car. They botched it and he had to have multiple surgeries to correct it. I had to make multiple trips for assessment and feedback. ," remarked one expat in Altea.

"Emergency services in Spain are generally reliable and efficient. In the event of an emergency, you can call 112 to request an ambulance. The operator will ask for your location and the nature of the emergency, and will then dispatch an ambulance to your location. In some cases, the operator may also provide medical advice over the phone," remarked one expat living in Spain.

"We are about one kilometer from our hospital “Vithas”. It is a very good private hospital. We received excellent care during our emergency visit last year. We were in and out under two hours, which is unheard of in the US. We would call our insurance Sanitas emergency line or dial 112 for emergency," said one expat living in Granada.

"The cities of Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia all have a wide selection of different levels of specialists. In addition, the region of Andalusia is renowned for having some of the top medical professionals in the country. Major cities within Andalusia such as Seville and Granada are especially known as excellent locations to find highly specialized care. Other regions of Spain that are home to excellent medical professionals include the Basque Country, Galicia, and the Balearic Islands," mentioned one expat in Spain.

"I have not had serious health problems, but did seek out a podiatry specialist for alternative treatment for foot pain from Freiberg's. The IMED doctor told me I need to have part of the second and third bone in my foot cut out. The podiatrist (who has multiple locations in this area of the Costa Blanca) used laser and made me custom orthotics and gave me exercises which helped immensely," commented one expat who moved to Altea, Spain.

"Yes, common prescription medications are available in Spain. Most medications can be obtained from pharmacies, either with a prescription from a doctor or without one. In some cases, a doctor's prescription is required for certain medications, such as those containing narcotics or controlled substances. In addition, some medications may require special authorization from the Spanish Ministry of Health," wrote one expat.

"Medical facilities and medical care in Spain are generally of a high quality. The country has a well-developed healthcare system, with many top-class hospitals and medical centers. Doctors and nurses are highly trained and experienced, and there are a range of specialist services available. The healthcare system is free at the point of care and a range of private services are also offered. The Spanish government also offers a number of preventative healthcare programs that promote public health," wrote one expat.

"Haven't used, but hear they are fine. Private insurance first year (about $80 per month with NO deductible), after that can get on state medical for free," commented one expat who moved to Granada.

"I'm 0.5 kilometers from the hospital. It's a very good private hospital. The quality is very good. There are both public and private hospitals. I used the emergency service once and I'm very impressed at the speed and quality of care I received. It's much better than in the US," said one expat.

"Yes, as a foreigner living in Spain, you will have access to public healthcare. The public healthcare system in Spain is known for its high quality and is free for all citizens and legal residents. It is funded by the government and is available to everyone regardless of their income level. The public healthcare system in Spain is comprehensive and includes primary care, specialist care, hospital care, and preventive care. It also covers prescription drugs, medical tests, and treatments," commented one expat who moved to Spain.

"No, not yet. We just moved to Granada eight months ago. My understanding is that after a year, we can join the public health system. Expats in my area are typically enrolled in private health insurance. We have Sanitas private health insurance and we are happy with them, It’s not difficult to enroll, We paid about €188 per month for two people with a full coverage with no copay and no deductible. There are public hospitals in our area but we have never used them because we are not yet eligible to join until after living in Spain for a year.. We used the private hospital Vithas and are very happy with them," said one expat.

"While in the U.S. I very intentionally "self-isolated" in a remote section of southern Missouri. But, I received my 2nd Covid-19 vaccination last week, so now feel MUCH safer about traveling and moving about in the world," wrote an expat living in Tenerife.

"The pandemic has had a major impact on the healthcare system in Spain. During the pandemic, the healthcare system has been stretched to its limits, with hospitals and medical centers struggling to cope with the influx of patients. The government has implemented strict measures to try to contain the spread of the virus, including the closure of non-essential services and the introduction of a nationwide lockdown. Despite these measures, the healthcare system has been overwhelmed by the number of cases, leading to long waiting times for appointments and delays in treatment. Additionally, the pandemic has caused a shortage of medical supplies, such as masks and gloves, which has further hindered the healthcare system's ability to provide adequate care," said an expat in Spain.