Best Hospitals in Spain for Foreigners and Expatriates

hospitals in spain

International Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities in Spain

If the unfortunate happens and you find yourself in need of urgent or serious healthcare while abroad in Spain, then the good news is that the World Health Organization ranks the country’s healthcare as amongst the best in the world. Like much of the EU, the healthcare system can be divided into private and public healthcare. If you’ve already spent a bit of time in Spain, you likely have noticed how decentralized the government is, with each of the 17 regions being granted a great deal of autonomy. This is also the case for the healthcare system. The national government was previously in charge of overseeing the country’s healthcare in entirety, but now each region is overseen by the individual government of each Autonomous Community. This means that there will be some differences in how healthcare operates depending on what part of Spain you are in, so it’s a great idea that when you’ve settled into a spot for some time, in addition to determining the nearest hospitals in Spain, you might want to check in to find out any special rules specific to the region where you are.

International Hospitals in Spain

Whatever medical ailments you’re experiencing, you’ll be happy to know Spain offers a long list of hospitals that accept international patients. Here is a list of those hospitals.

Centre Cardiovascular Sant Jordi Via Augusta 269-273
Barcelona 08017
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 203 58 00
Fax: + 34 93 205 53 07
Centre Medic Quirurgic Reus Cl Antoni Gaudi 26
Reus 43203
Spain
Tel: + 34 977 01 08 00
Fax: + 34 977 31 73 99
Centre Medic Sant Jordi de Sant Andreu Placa de l’Estacio 12
Barcelona 08030
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 345 1604
Fax: + 34 93 274 04 96
Centre Medico Tecno Viana 12
Barcelona 08022 Spain
Tel: + 34 93 290 62 00
Fax: + 34 93 211 26 90
Centro Clinico Denia Cl Beniarmut 1 Bajos Denia 03700 Alicante
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 578 79 91
Fax: + 34 96 642 15 09
Centro Clinico San Carlos Av Denia 78
Alicante 03016
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 516 22 00
Fax: + 34 96 526 21 77
Centro Medico Asistencial Lalin Av Buenos Aires 110
Lalin (Casco Urbano) Pontevedra 36500
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 78 38 28
Centro Medico De Asturias Crta. Oviedo Madrid Fuentesilla
Oviedo 33170
Spain
Tel: + 34 985 25 03 00
Centro Medico de Zamora Ronda San Torcuato 15 Zamora 49006
Spain
Tel: + 34 980 53 06 93
Centro Medico Denia C/Beniarmut 1-B 03700 Denia Alicante
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 57 87 991
Fax: + 34 96 56 42 1509
Centro Medico El Carmen Av de la Habana 50 Orense 32004
Spain
Tel: + 34 988 22 34 00
Centro Medico El Castro Vigo Manuel Olivie 11
Vigo
Pontevedra
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 41 14 66
Centro Medico Infanta Mercedes
Calle Infanta Mercedes 8 Madrid 28020
Spain
Tel: + 34 91 579 6705
Fax: + 34 91 570 6204
Centro Medico La Rosaleda Antonio Casares 2
Santiago de Compostela 15701 Spain
Tel: + 34 981 57 41 00
Fax: + 34 981 56 47 47
Centro Medico Ntra Sra del Rosario
Ctra de la Peraleda
Toledo 45000
Spain
Tel: + 34 925 26 61 00
Centro Medico Pintado Via Hispanidad 40
Vigo
Pontevedra
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 41 33 00
Centro Medico Salus Torremolinos
Avda. Palma de Mallorca 65 Torremolinos
Spain
Tel: + 34 95 23 70 517
Fax: + 34 95 23 71 894
Centro Medico Teknon Vilana 12
Barcelona 08022 Spain
Tel: + 34 93 285 00 10
Fax: + 34 93 211 26 90
Centro Sanitario Virgen del Pilar Paseo Zarategi 10
San Sabastian 20013 Guipuzcoa
Spain
Tel: + 34 943 32 70 20
Clideba – Clinica De Badajoz Eladio Salinero de los Santos 6 Badajoz 06011
Spain
Tel: + 34 924 25 77 62
Clinica Asturias Naranjo de Bulnes 4 Asturias 33012
Spain
Tel: + 34 985 28 60 00
Clinica Baviera Barcelona Cl Ganduxer 71 Barcelona
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 362 49 90
Clinica Benidorm
Avda. Alfonso Puchades 8 Alicante
Benidorm 03500
Spain
Tel: + 34 965 85 38 50
Fax: + 34 965 86 43 45
Clinica Beta-Quirurgica Garcia Morato 12 47007 Cisterniga Valladolid
Spain
Tel: + 34 983 22 00 64
Clinica Bofill
Cl Pare Claret 4
Girona 17002
Spain
Tel: + 34 972 20 43 50
Clinica Coreysa
Cl Los Alisos 19
Ciudad Real 13002 Spain
Tel: + 34 926 21 17 88
Clinica de Fatima Glorieta de Mexico 1 Sevilla
Spain
Tel: + 34 954 61 33 00
Clinica de Girona l’Alianca Heroina Santa Barbara 6 Girona
Spain
Tel: + 34 972 20 49 00
Clinica de Lleida
Enric Prat de la Riba 79-81 Lleida
Spain
Tel: + 34 973 23 29 43
Clinica de Vic
Rd Camprodon 4
Vic
Barcelona
Spain
Tel: + 34 938 86 12 11
Clinica Fuensanta Arturo Soria 17 Madrid 28027 Spain
Tel: + 34 914 02 92 95
Clinica Girona
Cl Joan Maragall 26 Girona 17002
Spain
Tel: + 34 972 01 03 00
Fax: + 34 972 20 66 66
Clinica Guimon
Cl Manuel Allende 24 48010 Bilbao
Vizcaya
Spain
Tel: + 34 944 21 01 01
Fax: + 34 944 43 10 63
Clinica Indautxu Cl Gordoniz 9 Bilbao 48010 Spain
Tel: + 34 944 44 50 12
Clinica Infantil Stauros Placa Karl Marx
(Anell Valldaura) Barcelona
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 427 60 00
Clinica Inmaculada Concepcion
Doctor Alejandro Otero 8 Granada
Spain
Tel: + 34 958 26 16 00
Clinica la Milagrosa Modesto Lafuente 14 Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 47 21 00
Clinica La Nucia
Partida Buenavista 9 Ctra, Benidorm – La Nucia La Nucia/Alicante 03530 Spain
Tel : + 34 96 687 30 49
Fax : + 34 96 687 48 02
Clinica la Zarzuela C/ Pleaydes 25 Aravaca
Madrid 28023 Spain
Tel: + 34 91 35 72 878
Fax: + 34 91 35 72 892
Clinica l’Alianca de Tortosa Pz Joaquim Bau 7
Tortosa
Spain
Tel: + 34 977 58 82 00
Clinica Los Naranjos Enrique Segura Otano 12 Badajoz
Spain
Tel: + 34 924 23 50 00
Clinica Los Naranjos – Huelva Ps de los Naranjos 1
Huelva
Spain
Tel: + 34 959 24 39 00
Clinica Marazuela
Av de Extremadura 5 Talavera de la Reina 45600 Toledo
Spain
Tel: + 34 925 81 52 81
Clinica MAZ (Sant Honorat) Avgda Tibidabo 20 Barcelona 08022
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 212 70 00
Fax: + 34 93 418 64 78
Clinica Montpellier Via Hispanidad 37 Zaragoza 50012 Spain
Tel: + 34 976 76 53 00
Fax: + 34 976 75 23 89
Clinica Montserrat Bisbe Torres 13 Lleida
Spain
Tel: + 34 973 26 63 00
Clinica Ntra Sra del Perpetuo Socorro –
CL Obispo Messeguer 3 Lerida 25003
Spain
Tel: + 34 973 26 61 00
Clinica Ntra Sra Del Pilar Pz Ruisenores 20 Zaragoza 50006
Spain
Tel: + 34 976 27 57 00
Fax: + 34 976 37 40 87
Clinica Ntra. Sra de la Misericordia
Av de Lidon
Castellon
Spain
Tel: + 34 964 22 62 00
Clinica Nuestra Senora de America
Arturo Soria 103
Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 13 00 61
Clinica Nuestra Senora De Belen
Jose Silva 7
Madrid 28043
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 19 67 80
Clinica Nuevo Parque Julian Romea 16 Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 34 86 00
Clinica Parque San Antonio Avda. Pintor Sorolla 2 Malaga
Spain
Tel: + 34 95 222 43 66
Clinica Promater Cl Mayor 110 Castellon 12001 Spain
Tel: + 34 964 23 52 53
Clinica Quiron
Av Mare de Deu de Montserrat 5-11
Barcelona 08024
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 285 00 00
Fax: + 34 93 210 75 61
Clinica Quiron De Valencia Blasco
Ibanez 14
Valencia 46010
Spain
Tel: + 34 963 69 06 00
Fax: + 34 963 93 17 06
Clinica Quiron San Sebastian Alkolea Parkea 7
San Sebastian
Guipuzcoa
Spain
Tel: + 34 943 28 75 55
Clinica Quiron Valencia Avda. Blasco Ibanez 14 Valencia 46010
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 369 06 00
Fax: + 34 96 393 17 06
Clinica Ruber Juan Bravo 49 Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 02 61 00
Clinica Sagrada Familia Torras y Pujalt 1 Barcelona 08022
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 212 23 00
Fax: + 34 93 212 40 50
Clinica Sagrado Corazon Av de Manuel Siurot 49 Sevilla 41013
Spain
Tel: + 34 954 62 44 11
Fax: + 34 954 61 29 61
Clinica Salus Infirmorum
Cl Mossen Lluis Constans 130 Banyoles 17820
Spain
Tel: + 34 972 57 02 08
Fax: + 34 972 57 32 02
Clinica San Francisco Marqueses de San Isidro
11 Leon
Spain
Tel: + 34 987 20 21 11
Clinica San Francisco Javier – Bilbao
Cl Gordoniz 12
Bilbao 48010
Vizcaya
Spain
Tel: + 34 944 10 27 10
Fax: + 34 944 10 16 03
Clinica San Francisco Javier – Navarra
Av Baja Navarra 52
Navarra 31004
Spain
Tel: + 34 948 23 16 00
Clinica San Marcos
Condes de Crespo Rascon 56-57 Salamanca 37002
Spain
Tel: + 34 923 26 98 22
Fax: + 34 923 22 36 67
Clinica Sant Josep Caputxins
16-22 Manresa Barcelona
Spain
Tel: + 34 938 86 12 11
Clinica Santa Elena Urbanizacion Los Alamos Torremolinos (Malaga) 29620 Spain
Tel : + 34 95 238 55 55
Fax : + 34 95 237 35 91
Clinica Santa Teresa
Av Santa Cruz de Tenerife 1 Avila
Spain
Tel: + 34 920 22 14 50
Clinica Santa Teresa de Castellon
Cl Hermanos Vilafana 2 Castellon
Spain
Tel: + 34 964 24 24 22
Fax: + 34 964 25 41 71
Clinica Universitaria de Navarra
Avenida Pio XII, 36 Pamplona 31080 Spain
Tel: + 34 48 25 54 00
Fax: + 34 48 17 22 94
Clinica Virgen Blanca Cl Maestro Mendiri 2 Bilbao 48006
Vizcaya
Spain
Tel: + 34 944 12 70 11
Fax: + 34 944 12 65 59
Clinica Virgen de Guadalupe Av los Quijotes
Caceres
Spain
Tel: + 34 927 18 13 60
Clinica Virgen De La Salud Av Simon Nieto 31 Palencia 34005
Spain
Tel: + 34 979 74 77 00
Clinica Virgen Del Consuelo Callosa D’en Sarri 12 Valencia 46007
Spain
Tel: + 34 963 17 78 00
Clinica Vistahermosa Av Denia 103 Alicante 03013 Spain
Tel: + 34 96 526 42 00
Complejo Sanitario Alameda Av San Julian 1
Cuenca
Spain
Tel: + 34 969 23 25 00
Hospital Acuario Avda. Vergel 11 Beniarbeig 03778 Spain
Tel: + 34 96 647 62 60
Fax: + 34 96 576 73 20
Hospital Blanca Paloma Diego de Moron 3 Huelva
Spain
Tel: + 34 958 01 21 00
Hospital Casa de Salud Av Dr. Manuel Candela 41 Valencia 46021
Spain
Tel: + 34 963 89 77 00
Hospital Comarcal de Mora d’Ebre
Cl Benet Messeguer Mora d’Ebre 43740 Spain
Tel: + 34 977 40 18 63

Hospital Cruz Roja de Murcia Plaza de la Cruz Roja 1 Murcia 30003
Spain
Tel: + 34 968 21 21 11
Hospital de Cruz Roja Cl Cruz Roja
Burgos 9006
Spain
Tel: + 34 947 24 40 55
Hospital de dia Pio XII
Cuesta del Sagrado Corazon 4 Madrid 28016
Spain
Tel: + 34 913 53 15 10
Fax: + 34 913 45 74 96
Hospital de Figueres Rector Aroles Figueres
Spain
Tel: + 34 972 50 14 00
Hospital de la Cruz Roja Espanola
Paseo de la Victoria Cordoba
Spain
Tel: + 34 957 42 06 66
Hospital de la Misericordia Cl Dr. Velasco 21-23 Segovia 40003
Spain
Tel: + 34 921 46 01 15
Hospital de la Santa Cruz Av Cruz Roja 4
Jerez de la Frontera Cadiz
Spain
Tel: + 34 956 03 50 00
Hospital de Madrid
Plaza Conde del Valle de Suchil 16
Madrid 28015
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 47 66 00
Fax: + 34 914 94 07 20
Hospital de Puigcerda Pl Santa Maria
1-2 Puigcerda
Spain
Tel: + 34 972 88 01 50
Fax: + 34 972 88 11 43
Hospital de Sagunto Avda. Ramun y Cajal, s/n Sagunto (Valencia) 46520 Spain
Tel: + 34 96 26 59 400
Fax: + 34 96 26 59 420
Hospital de Sant Joan de Reus Cl Sant Joan
Reus 43201
Spain
Tel: + 34 977 31 03 00
Hospital de Sant PauI & Sta Tecla
Rambla Vella 14
Tarronga
Spain
Tel: + 34 977 25 99 00
Fax: + 34 977 23 49 42
Hospital Divino Valles Ctra Santander Burgos 9006
Spain
Tel: + 34 947 23 50 11
Hospital Dr. Pascual Cl Amargura 31 Malaga 29012 Spain
Tel: + 34 952 65 03 04
Hospital Europa
Av Severo Ochoa 22 Marabella
Spain
Tel: + 34 952 77 42 00
Hospital Juan Grande
Glorieta Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente
Jerez de la Frontera 11408 Cadiz
Spain
Tel: + 34 956 18 16 50
Fax: + 34 956 18 48 02
Hospital Nueve De Octubre Valle de la Ballesta 59 Valencia 46015
Spain
Tel: + 34 963 46 00 00
Hospital Parque San Antonio Avda. Pintor Sorolla 2 Malaga 29016
Spain
Tel: + 34 95 21 21 100
Fax: + 34 95 22 24 370
Hospital Provincial De San Jose Av Zaragoza 16
Teruel
Spain
Tel: + 34 978 60 53 16
Hospital Reyes Catolicos Av Reyes Catolicos 37-41 Burgos 09005
Spain
Tel: + 34 947 23 72 63
Hospital Rodriguez Chamorro Cl Hernan Cortes 40
Zamora 49021
Spain
Tel: + 34 980 52 02 00
Fax: + 34 980 52 16 79
Hospital Ruber Internacional La Maso 38 Mirasierra Madrid 28034
Spain
Tel: + 34 913 87 50 00
Fax: + 34 917 30 22 00
Hospital San Jaime
Partida de la Loma s/n Torrevieja (Alicante) 03180 Spain
Tel: + 34 966 921 313
Fax: + 34 966 922 706
Hospital San Juan
de Dios Paseo De Isla 41
Burgos 9003
Spain
Tel: + 34 947 25 77 30
Hospital San Juan de Dios – Cordoba
Av del Brillante 106 Cordoba
Spain
Tel: + 34 957 27 46 00
Hospital San Juan de Dios – Leon
Av San Ignacio de Loyola 73 Leon
Spain
Tel: + 34 987 23 25 00
Hospital San Juan de Dios – Navarra
Beloso Alto 3
31006 Pamplona
Navarra
Spain
Tel: + 34 948 23 18 00
Hospital San Juan De Dios – Sevilla
Av Eduardo Dato 42
Sevilla
Spain
Tel: + 34 954 93 93 00
Hospital San Rafael – Cadiz Diego Arias 2
Cadiz
Spain
Tel: + 34 956 80 80 00
Hospital San Rafael – Madrid Serrano 199
Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 64 99 43
Hospital Sant Bernabe Ctra. De Ribes
8600 Berga
Barcelona
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 821 04 00
Hospital Santisima Trinidad Paseo Carmelitas 74-94 Salamanca
Spain
Tel: + 34 923 26 93 00
Hospital Universitari La Fe Avda. de Campanar, 21 Valencia 46009
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 38 62 700
Fax: + 34 96 38 68 789
Hospital Valencia Al Mar R¡o Tajo 1
Valencia 46011
Spain
Tel: + 34 963 35 25 00
Fax: + 34 963 35 25 01
Hospital Virgen de la Paloma Loma 1
Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 34 82 07
Hospital Virgen De Las Montanas
Av Ambulatorio Villamartin
Cadiz
Spain
Tel: + 34 956 73 09 59
Iberica de Diagnostico y Cirugia – Ciudad Real Toledo 79
Ciudad Real 13009 Spain
Tel: + 34 926 25 50 08
Iberica de Diagnostico y Cirugia – Albacete
Plaza del Madrono 11 Albacete
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 724 71 00
IMQ San Rafael
Las Jubias 82
La Coruna 15006 Spain
Tel: + 34 981 17 90 00
Instituto Ciruglas Especiales E/San Bernado 68
Madrid 28015
Spain
Tel: + 34 91 52 43 700
Fax: + 34 91 52 43 815
Instituto Policlinico la Rosaleda Santiago Leon de Caracas 1 Santiago de Compostela 15701 Spain
Tel: + 34 981 56 26 00
Fax: + 34 981 56 35 92
Ntra Sra De La Regla Cl Cardenal Ladazuri 2 Leon
Spain
Tel: + 34 987 23 69 00
Nueva Clinica Quiron Zaragoza Paseo Mariano Renovales Zaragoza
Spain
Tel: + 34 976 37 67 00
Policlinica Barcelona Guillem Tell 4 Barcelona 08006 Spain
Tel: + 34 93 416 16 16
Fax: + 34 93 218 44 48
Policlinica Comarcal el Vendrell
Ctra Santa Oliva 51- 53 El Vendrell 43700 Spain
Tel: + 34 977 66 01 40
Fax: + 34 977 66 63 37
Policlinica Del Alto Aragon Pedro Sopena 12
Huesca 22003
Spain
Tel: + 34 974 23 81 88 Policlinica Del Valles
Cl Girona 5-7 Granollers 08400
Spain
Tel: + 34 938 70 61 00
Fax: + 34 938 79 32 27
Policlinica Guipuzcoa Paseo Miramon 174 San Sabastian 20011 Guipuzcoa
Spain
Tel: + 34 943 30 95 50
Policlinica San Jose
Beato Tom s de Zumarraga 10 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Alava
Spain
Tel: + 34 94 514 09 00
Policlinica San Pedro Pza de San Pedro 6 Huelva
Spain
Tel: + 34 959 24 21 00
Policlinico La Guardia Manuel μlvarez 16 La Guardia Pontevedra
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 61 32 11
Policlinico Riojano Ntra Sra De Valvanera
Av de Madrid 39
Logrono 26006
Spain
Tel: + 34 941 21 19 00
Policlinico San Carlos Miguel Hernandez Murcia
Spain
Tel: + 34 968 36 50 00
Policlinico San Carlos Les Madrigueres Sud A8 Denia 03700
Alicante
Spain
Tel: + 34 96 643 03 03
Policlinico Santa Teresa Penarredonda 4
La Coruna
Spain
Tel: + 34 981 21 98 00
Povisa Centro Medico Calle Salamanca No. 5 Vigo 36211
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 41 31 44
Fax: + 34 986 42 14 39
Residencia Asistida La Luz Duraton 2
Aranda de Duero
Spain
Tel: + 34 947 50 01 50
Sanatario Ntra Sra de la Salud Cl Ntra Sra de la salud Granada
Spain
Tel: + 34 958 80 88 80
Fax: + 34 958 80 88 98
Sanatario Santa Rita Peregrina 54 Pontevedra 36001 Spain
Tel: + 34 985 28 60 00
Fax: + 34 986 85 14 08
Sanatario Santa Rita Peregrina 54 Pontevedra
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 85 44 00
Fax: + 34 986 85 14 08
Sanatorio de San Julian Cl Dr. Ferran 1
Cuenca
Spain
Tel: + 34 969 21 22 24
Sanatorio Dominguez Fray Juan de Navarrete 9 Pontevedra 36001
Spain
Tel: + 34 986 85 68 00
Sanatorio Dr. Galvez San Agustin 1 Malaga
Spain
Tel: + 34 952 22 42 95
Sanatorio Medico Quirurgico Cristo Rey
Paseo de la Estacion 40 Jaen
Spain
Tel: + 34 953 25 04 40
Sanatorio Ntra Sra Del Rosario Cl Pr¡ncipe de Vergara 53 Madrid 28006
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 35 91 00
Fax: + 34 915 76 18 00
Sanatorio Ntra. Sra. La Antigua Cl Constitucion 18
Guadalajara 19003
Spain
Tel: + 34 949 22 67 11
Fax: + 34 949 21 86 03
Sanatorio Quirurgico Modelo Virrey Ossorio 30
La Coruna
Spain
Tel: + 34 981 14 73 00
Sanatorio San Francisco de Asis
Joaqu¡n Costa 28
Madrid 28002
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 63 03 60
Serveis Assistencials Amposta Carrer Jardi 18
Amposta 43870
Spain
Tel: + 34 977 70 05 21
UCSI Europa
Paseo de la Estacion 27-29 Salamanca 37004
Spain
Tel: + 34 922 12 14 22
Fax: + 34 923 22 71 41
USP Centro de Cirugia Ambulatoria
Escoles Pies 103A Barcelona 08017 Spain
Tel: + 34 932 54 54 00
USP Centro de Diagnostico por Imagen
Juan XXIII 40
Madrid 28040
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 34 44 68
Fax: + 34 915 34 02 13
USP Clinica La Esperanza La Esperanza 3 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Spain
Tel: + 34 945 25 25 00
Fax: + 34 945 27 92 60
USP Clinica Sagrado Corazon Rafael Salgado 3
Sevilla 41013
Spain
Tel: + 34 954 62 44 11
Fax: + 34 954 62 91 97
USP Clinica San Camilo Juan Bravo 39
Madrid 28006
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 02 21 00
Fax: + 34 915 34 02 13
USP Clinica San Jose Cartagena 111 Madrid 28002
Spain
Tel: + 34 914 15 31 00
Fax: + 34 914 15 31 59
USP Dermoestetica Alpha Quirurgica
Juan XXIII 40
2a Planta
Madrid 28040
Spain
Tel: + 34 915 54 81 098
USP Hospital San Carlos Miguel Hernandez 12 Murcia 30011
Spain
Tel: + 34 968 36 50 00
Fax: + 34 981 13 35 86
USP Hospital Santa Teresa Penaredonda 4
La Coruna 15008 A
Spain
Tel: + 34 981 21 98 01
Fax: + 34 981 13 35 86
USP Institut Universitari Dexeus
Calatrava 83
Barcelona 08017
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 227 47 47
Fax: + 34 93 211 16 54
Vall d’Hebron Hospitals Paseo Vall d’Hebron 119-129 Barcelona 08035
Spain
Tel: + 34 93 48 93 000
Fax: + 34 93 27 46 000

What Is Spain’s Public Healthcare and Who Can Access It?

Spain’s public healthcare system is called seguridad social, and is a widely used option for both emergency services and non-emergency services. All Spaniards have access to this system, as do citizens of the European Union. While all Spaniards are free to use the seguridad social, many middle and upper-class Spaniards also choose to purchase private health insurance, because when it comes to non-emergency services, the wait times for appointments can be notoriously long. Additionally, the private system allows for more flexibility in choosing healthcare providers than does the public option. However, it’s good to know that many of the country’s top doctors choose to enter into the public system as a healthcare provider or offer services through the public system as well as the private. All of Spain’s medical professionals are well-trained, and many will speak English.

Non-EU citizens from country’s that don’t have a healthcare reciprocity agreement with Spain must purchase private healthcare in order to qualify for a residency visa, this includes citizens of the United States and Canada. However, for expats who have chosen to retire to Spain, even those from non-EU countries, may opt to apply to join the seguridad social through the autonomous community where they reside. The regulations around doing this are particularly specific to the region, so if you’re retiring to Spain, be sure to check out what the process is for the region where you plan to live.

The only time when the difference between private and public healthcare system is not enforced prior to treatment is in true emergency situations, where life-threatening circumstances require immediate medical attention, regardless of the patient’s eligibility to access Spain’s public healthcare system. Because much of the urgent care is centered around the public healthcare system, in instances of grave emergencies you will be likely to come into contact with the public system, regardless of which country you come from.

Related:
Healthcare System in Spain
Countries Offering Free or Universal Health Care

What Is Spain’s Private Healthcare Like?

The primary provider of private health insurance in Spain is called Sanitas. Spain’s private insurance provides some of the best healthcare in the world, and does so competitively, offering a wide range of services. Depending on what country you come from, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the affordability of private health insurance. For a person over 65, the rate can be less than $150 a month, and for a healthy person under 55, premiums are often less than $100. However, like many private health insurances, preexisting conditions may be excluded.