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Life and Healthcare in Spain...

Reciprocal Healthcare Agreements
Spanish hospitals and doctors are of a very high standard and as an EU national you are covered for treatment with the Spanish public health care system. Make sure you have an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), available from post offices in Britain or from your Social Security office. Click Here for details

Make sure you apply at least three weeks before you come to Spain.

Your EHIC is valid as long as you continue to pay social security contributions in the UK and covers all emergency treatment but not X-rays, physiotherapy or dental treatment.
Contact the Department of Social Security (www.dwp.gov.uk, tel. 0191 218 7777) for further information.

Spanish residents
If you move to Spain permanently, you will need to apply for an official Medical Card at your local Social Security Office in Spain. Take your EHIC, passport and proof of residence.

For details of your local social security office, contact the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social, www.seg-social.es , tel. 900 616 200 (free information line).

Private health insurance...
As in the UK, most Spaniards are covered for health treatment by the public health system, but about 6 million choose to take out a private health policy to avoid waiting lists and have access to more hospitals.
In general, British report that schemes back home offer better cover than Spanish policies. Always check whether your policy covers you for treatment - and what kind of treatment - abroad.
Seek the advice of an independent broker about which plan suits you and whether you require extra cover for your family, maternity care, dentistry etc.

There are a wide range of insurers and policies available to meet the needs of the Spanish healthcare market. However, you should first ask yourself what degree of cover you need, and indeed what this would cost you over the longer period. Some specialist policies will fix your age at the age you join, potentially saving thousands of Euro’s over the longer term.

Also, do you need cover only in Spain or will you be travelling around Europe or further a field once based in Spain.

Finding a doctor (for private insurance only)
You can choose to join any practice, not necessarily the one nearest your home, and if you are not satisfied with that doctor, you are entitled to change to another practice.
You will find lists of practices in the local Yellow Pages (Páginas Amarillas), but it is always advisable to go with a friend's recommendation where possible. You do not usually need to make an appointment. Patients are seen on a first come, first served basis.
If you are too ill to get to your doctor's surgery, a doctor will visit you at home at any time of day or night.

Health centres
Local health centres (centros de salud) also have a number of doctors available, for whom you will need to make an appointment. See your local Yellow Pages for addresses. If you need to consult a doctor, take your EHIC (and a photocopy) or your medical card if you have one. You do not need to pay for a consultation.
Your details will be entered into a computer and the receptionist will determine whether you need to pay for prescriptions or not. Pensioners do not need to.

Dentists
You have to pay for dental treatment, unless you have private health insurance that covers dental work. You simply need to make an appointment and take a form of ID with you.

Pharmacies
Most medicines are far cheaper in Spain than in England and available over the counter. However, pensioners are entitled to free prescription medicine from pharmacies with a prescription from their doctor.
Pharmacies usually open from 9.30am-2pm and from 5-9.30pm Mondays to Fridays and from 9.30am-2pm on Saturdays. In every town and village there is a 24-hour pharmacy or contact number.

Si usted es una vida expatriada en España, es usted completamente enterado del coste de healthcare pues usted no puede confiar probablemente en volver al Reino Unido para el tratamiento...

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