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When relying on Spain’s public healthcare system, lengthy wait times for surgical procedures or specialist appointments are common. While public healthcare in Spain is considered to be one of the very best in the world, expats are recommended to take out private plans for comprehensive coverage.
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As a result, it is important for you to understand the Spanish healthcare system, who requires health insurance, how to access the Spanish healthcare system, and why private health insurance is imperative. This information should set you up for a stress-free stay in Spain.
This Pacific Prime article will help you understand the ins and outs of health insurance in Spain for expats and set you off on a memorable expatriate experience in La Roja.
How Does Spain’s Healthcare System Work?
In Spain, their public healthcare system, La Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS), offers free healthcare access to emergency care, consultations, inpatient and outpatient care, and insurance coverage for every resident, a system made possible thanks to social contributions in the form of taxes.
Set up in 1986, this system is administered under the Spanish Ministry of Health, ensuring that the delivery of healthcare services is decentralized and comprehensive. To provide more detail, the services offered under this public health system include:
- Emergency hospital and doctor visits
- Doctor consultations
- Inpatient and outpatient care
- Paediatric visits
- Midwife appointments and services
- Partial coverage for prescriptions
- Partial coverage for prostheses, orthopedics, and wheelchairs
The system does not include:
- Dental care
- Eyeglasses
Who Requires Private Health Insurance in Spain?
While it is not required, it is strongly recommended for all expats, whether long- or short-term visitors, to take out a private health insurance policy to remove all obstacles associated with treatment access and medical costs.
Additionally, the cost of healthcare in Spain can be extremely high, and it is essential for expats to carefully consider their financial constraints should they primarily rely on the public healthcare system. Without private health insurance, this could result in piling up medical debt.
Private Health Insurance Coverage Offerings
Private health insurance offers coverage for primary care, hospitalization, specialized treatments, and dental care, all of which are considered essential coverage areas for expatriate life in Spain.
Below are more detailed explanations of each coverage area and what they entail:
Primary Care Coverage
Primary care coverage refers to coverage for services rendered by general practitioners, social workers, physiotherapists, pediatricians, and nurses. This is considered the most important area of coverage because it ensures access to essential medical services.
Hospitalization Coverage
Also known as in-patient coverage, this coverage area provides individuals with access to private hospitals and clinics, especially if they must be admitted due to a serious illness or accident. Having this coverage area ensures that your hospital stays are more comfortable.
Specialized Treatments Coverage
Having specialized treatment coverage protects you from any unpredictable costs that stem from specialized areas of medicine, most of which are extremely expensive. Most importantly, it ensures that you receive access to the most specialized treatments, especially should you require them.
Dental Care
Dental health coverage, typically included in plans as an add-on, is very important for expatriate adults. Should you require any dental treatment, having dental care coverage will be extremely useful, ensuring that you have access to a dentist from anywhere in Spain, at any cost.
How Can Expats Access the Spanish Healthcare System?
Employees can access the Spanish healthcare system by having their employers register them under the social security system, self-employed expats must register themselves, and retirees are automatically eligible under the SNS system upon gaining permanent residency status.
Accessing the Spanish Healthcare System as an Employee
For employees, their employers should automatically register them for social security contributions, which enables them to access the public healthcare system. However, they must register for residency at a local city or town hall, a process that is recommended to be done upon landing in Spain.
Additionally, employees must obtain a medical insurance card (Tarjeta Sanitaria Individual-TSI) by registering through online channels or visiting a local health center and submitting their passport, tax, and social security numbers as part of the process.
Accessing the Spanish Healthcare System as a Self-Employed Expat
Self-employed expats must register for the social security system by visiting a Spanish social security office known as the Tesoreria General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) and simply submitting their passport and certificate of residency registration at the town hall.
Accessing the Spanish Healthcare System as a Retiree
For retirees, upon becoming permanent residents in Spain, they are automatically eligible for cover under the SNS system. However, for non-EU citizens, if your country does not have a bilateral agreement with Spain, it is strongly recommended that you take out private health insurance.
The Importance of Private Health Insurance in Spain
Despite health insurance not being a mandatory requirement, expats tend to favor private health insurance over the state-funded SNS system to receive access to an extensive medical network, timely treatment, and access to English-speaking healthcare providers.
Moreover, having private healthcare insurance means you’ll receive coverage and access to specialized treatments that are not included in the state healthcare system. This includes, for example, dental care, which is highly important to many expats.
Below are the listed benefits of taking out private health insurance in Spain:
1. Access to an Extensive Medical Network
Private health insurance provides expats with access to a large network of specialists and general practitioners throughout Spain. This abundance of choice enables expats to receive the most specific treatments for their complex conditions in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
2. Timely and Expedited Care
Another major advantage of having private health insurance is being able to bypass the tedious referral process and receive direct access to specialists, resulting in faster diagnoses and treatments. If you require multiple appointments, private health insurance ensures prompt attention.
3. Access to English-speaking Doctors
Most bilingual or trilingual doctors are contracted under private healthcare institutions, and private health insurance specifically enables access to them.
Obtaining Private Health Insurance for Spain
Obtaining private health insurance in Spain can be done by contacting an insurance broker who specializes in expat insurance, as they can provide you with a proper recommendation based on your unique conditions and budgetary constraints.
The Advantages of Working with an Insurance Broker
Contacting an insurance broker for private health insurance provides you with access to specialized advice, personalized coverage, policy and claim assistance, and post-sales assistance.
In more detail, the benefits of employing a broker in your search for a private health insurance policy are as follows:
- Specialized Advice: A broker’s duty is to carefully explain the ins and outs of the policies that are sold to policyholders. This ensures that a policyholder knows what they’re entitled to and the limitations of each coverage area.
- Access to Personalized Coverage: By informing a broker of your budgetary constraints, pre-existing conditions, and your most preferred area of coverage, you’ll be able to receive a tailored policy to meet these unique requirements.
- Policy and Claims Assistance: Should you require help with filing your claims, renewing your policies, or the submission of any necessary paperwork, your brokers can help facilitate this process to ensure there is less hassle and more convenience.
- Post-Sales Assistance: Working with a broker is a long-term affair. Upon taking out a private health insurance policy, a broker will ensure that you are cared for throughout your expatriate journey by being readily available to answer any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can expats in Spain get free medical care?
You can get healthcare in Spain paid for by the government if you are a legal resident and worker. This includes people who are not officially working, such as digital nomads, retired expats, and others.
Is it possible to visit a doctor in Spain without health insurance?
Visiting a doctor in Spain, as well as any non-elective treatments, is completely free for those who are registered with the national health system. However, for those without insurance, the average cost for medical care without health insurance is €40 for consultations and €80 for blood tests.
How do I register for the public healthcare system in Spain?
You must enroll in the public health insurance system through your regional INSS office once you become a permanent resident and submit your passport and proof of residency documents.
Conclusion
Living in Spain requires expats to carefully consider between relying on the public healthcare system or taking out a private health insurance policy. In this case, a private health insurance policy ensures that you’ll receive timely and comprehensive access to the best doctors.
With the information in this article, you’ll be able to make an informed decision when considering private health insurance for your life in Spain, taking into account your healthcare needs, priorities, requirements, and budgetary constraints.
Additionally, if you need more information, it’s recommended to read more on finding the best worldwide medical coverage and securing private health insurance while working abroad.
Pacific Prime is an award-winning insurance brokerage with a team of experts who can provide you with impartial advice and assistance in comparing plans across the best insurers around the globe, including Spain.
Contact us today to get started.
Upon graduating from Mahidol University International College’s International Relations program, he spent his career in marketing and business development, working for an international subcontractor, a marketing research firm, an international news agency, a software development company, and a creative agency. His journey now continues at Pacific Prime, where he hopes to make an impact by simplifying insurance and writing a gargantuan amount of SEO articles to draw in billions of leads.
In his free time, Piyanat is an avid martial artist and musician, spending most of his time at boxing gyms in Nakhon Pathom and music studios with his friends in the music industry.
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