Healthcare & Health Insurance in Spain

"I like health care here. I had a surgery, one that was formerly botched in Sweden (of all countries with reputedly good health care) and sooner or later am likely to need a heart surgery as well (yes, I had a second opinion on that). As an EU citizen I was never asked to pay for any treatment and as a retiree get all medications dirt cheap, even insulin, which makes me remember with horror prices I had to pay when I lived in the US, despite being fully insured..," said one member 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," remarked one member in Tenerife.

"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," explained one expat living in Spain.

"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," said one digital nomad in Granada.

"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," said one digital nomad 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," remarked one member in Altea.

"I would not return to my home country (US) for medical care. I would stay in Spain to receive the care, it’s excellent in Spain," explained one expat living in Granada, Spain.

"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," said one digital nomad in Spain.

"Prescription is inexpensive and available at the local pharmacy. There are many pharmacies at every corner of the town," commented a person living in Granada, Spain.

"Most medications are available at pharmacies without a prescription. Bring old medication bottle or written info with name and dosage. They may have a different name. I always check via internet to make sure what I got is the correct medication and dosage. Certain prescriptions like antibiotics require a prescription. Most medications are extremely inexpensive. ," explained one digital nomad living in 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," said one member in Spain.

"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 digital nomad in Granada.

"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," explained one person living in 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," wrote one digital nomad living in Granada, Spain.

"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," explained one person living in Tenerife, Spain.

"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," wrote one digital nomad living in Spain.