Your Guide to Navigating the Spanish Healthcare System

Understanding the Spanish healthcare system or finding the right doctor can be stressful, especially if you do not speak Spanish yet. If you are an international student or expat moving to this beautiful country, make sure to be informed on how the Spanish healthcare system works. To help you familiarize with the Spanish public & private healthcare system, we have created this comprehensive healthcare in Spain guide that will help you navigate the Spanish healthcare system.

If you’re starting fresh and would like to know everything possible about healthcare in Spain, then please continue reading through all our chapters. Below you will find everything you need to know about public and private healthcare in Spain including many helpful hints & tips so you feel safe and can find the right care for you if needed.

The Spanish Healthcare System – Public versus Private Healthcare

Spain is very proud of its comprehensive & accessible healthcare system. The country offers a high quality healthcare system, guaranteeing universal coverage for all its residents. The healthcare system in Spain is ranked amongst the best in the world and offers both private and public healthcare to its residents.

The Public Healthcare System in Spain

Spain’s public healthcare system is called the “Spanish National Health System“ (Sistema Nacional de Salud or SNS). Spain’s residents have access to the country’s universal healthcare system, resulting in many of its healthcare services being free of charge. The public healthcare system in Spain covers all kinds of healthcare services, including:

• General medicine
• Family practice
• Pediatrics
• Nursing
• Physical therapy and a range of other specialties

The system consists of healthcare centers known as “Centros de Salud”, public hospitals & clinics as well as doctor practices. As we mentioned at the top of this article, the public healthcare system in Spain is great, however as it is the public system the wait times can get quite long. To find the closest “Centro de Salud” near you, simply check here.

The Private Healthcare System in Spain

If you would like to have the freedom of choice when it comes to selecting specialists and you do not want to be restricted by long waiting times, then we highly recommend to look for a private health insurance for your time in Spain. In our private health insurance for Spain guide, you can read more about the best options currently available. Check out our guide to the best health insurance in Spain for international students & expats to understand your options.

Access, Legal Requirements, and Emergencies

The most important thing to understand before coming to Spain is whether or not you have access to the free Spanish healthcare system or not. If you are moving to Spain to study or work, Spanish law requires you to have health coverage for the entire time of your stay in Spain. The main aspects that will determine this are where you are from and what you will be doing here in Spain.

For example, if you are an expat working legally in Spain (either self-employed or as an employee of a Spanish company), you will have the right to use the public healthcare system. The reason for this being that you will be contributing to the Spanish social security system (“Seguridad Social“) through your work. All you’d need to do is make sure to register at the closest “Centro de Salud”.

If you have an emergency, we recommend that you head to the nearest public emergency room or “urgencias” to make sure you get the treatment you need. This is vital to ensure you feel safe and can find the right care for you if needed.