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In 2019, Spain was ranked as the healthiest country in the world by the Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index, and as having the longest average lifespan in Europe. Having a Healthcare System available to all and considered one of the best in the world probably helps! Catalunya is also home to the world’s oldest living person (116)! Coincidence? We think not!
There are undoubtedly several other contributing factors, too, the climate and diet amongst the main ones, but having an excellent healthcare system doesn’t hurt. What’s even better is that the public health service is virtually free, or at least very inexpensive, for anyone who is a resident and working or self-employed in the country and paying social security contributions, anyone who is in receipt of social welfare payments, or the state pension, anyone under the age of 26 and studying in Spain and any resident pregnant woman.
If you fall into none of the above categories, there are ways you can still avail of the health service, but we’ll get to that a bit later.
Assuming you’re already empadronado/a (registered) with your local ayuntamiento (town hall), the first step is to register with the Dirección General de la Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) to get a social security number. Once you’ve been allocated a number, you bring it to your local health centre, or C.A.P. (Centro de Asistencia Primaria) along with your NIE and passport, apply for the health card, and you will be assigned a doctor. You’ll receive the health card itself a short time later.
The cost of prescription medication in this country is already generally significantly less than in northern countries, and once you have your health card, this cost is further subsidised. In Catalunya, your health card will look like this:
There’s a CAP in just about every town in Catalunya, so no matter where you are, you shouldn’t be far from one. If you think you’d find that whole application procedure a bit daunting, you know who to get in touch with; callCarlos are old hands at this stuff!
If you do not meet any of the requirements mentioned in the above paragraph and are not entitled to free public healthcare, you will need to take out private health insurance. If you are registered with your local town hall as having been resident in the country for a year or more but have never made social security contributions, you can apply for the convenio especial (a state-run insurance scheme).
There are a range of different types of convenio especial for different purposes, and the scheme is run individually by each autonomous region in Spain, including Catalunya. There are also differences between regions, so we won’t go into the details here.
Alternatively, you can take out your own private health insurance with any one of a growing number of companies. As always, callCarlos are happy to do the legwork to help you find the one most suitable for your needs.
If you are not a resident of Spain but spend some time here – or anywhere in the EU, for that matter – it is a good idea to get yourself a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You need to apply for this card in your country of residence, and it entitles you to avail of public healthcare should something happen to you while temporarily in Spain (or any other EU country). It does not apply if you come to Spain with the specific intention of using the health system here, but in the event that while here you require treatment that cannot wait till you return to your home country, you will receive free or at least reduced cost healthcare.
If you are a resident in Spain, remember that you should, therefore, get a Spanish Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea – the same thing but for residents of this country when they are travelling elsewhere in the E.U. Of course if some accident should befall you while abroad, your EHIC (or TSA) will only cover your basic medicare so you should still take out travel insurance to cover any other eventualities.
To see a doctor, you need to make an appointment through your local CAP, either in person or over the phone. Depending on your location, there may be a wait of a few days or even a couple of weeks (but not commonly) if on public healthcare, while those on private usually have shorter waiting times. If you wish to see a specialist or if you require (non-urgent) hospital treatment, you will also need to go through your doctor.
Although the majority of patients go through their local CAP, there are some doctors who have their own practice, but you’ll need to check whether they offer a public or private service, depending on what type of cover you have. Some of these private GPs (médicos de cabecera) may not accept foreign patients who do not speak Spanish unless they bring an interpreter, whereas in a C.A.P. on the Costa Brava, there is a better chance of there being someone to assist in your language.
For more urgent matters, you can present to Urgencias, the equivalent of E.R. or A&E. On the Costa Brava, there are hospitals with emergency departments in Palamós and Blanes as well as Girona and Figueres a bit further inland. As in every EU country, the number to call in case of an emergency is 112.
Unfortunately, visits to the dentist or the optician are not covered under the healthcare system in Spain, so unless you have a private health insurance policy that covers these, you just pay as you go.
We hope this has been useful in giving you an overview of how the Spanish healthcare system works for foreigners, whether living here or just visiting. It is not intended to cover every aspect or eventuality, but if you have any queries or if there is anything you are unsure of, do not hesitate to get in touch with callCarlos and we’ll find the answers you need.
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The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. It may not always be the most up-to-date information, legally or otherwise. This website contains links to third-party websites, and such links are only for the convenience of the reader. callCarlos does not necessarily recommend or endorse the contents of third-party websites. callCarlos does not assume any responsibility for actions taken by people who have visited their website, and no one shall be entitled to a claim for detrimental reliance on any information provided.
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