Health services
To have full free access to the Spanish Health System you have to have a social security number. To get one, you generally have to either work for a company or become self employed (in which case you’ll pay to be part of the system).
If your country of origin has universal health care, then you may be able to get your country to pay Spain to cover you. For the UK, this is the case for those over 60 and for some people who qualify for the invalidity benefit. You will need the appropriate form (E121 or E106).
In some cases, you may want to keep your universal health care provided by your home country if you intend to be back and forth between Spain and home. In this case it would be recommended to purchase additional health or travel insurance from a home-country insurance provider that supplements your universal health care for the duration of your stay in Spain.
If you have a Certificado de Empadronamiento, you have the right to emergency care in any public hospital. Once any temporary health care from your country runs out, look into contracting Spanish health insurance. Also see Doctors in Spain for more about your empadronamiento, getting your health care card and finding a doctor.
DOCTORS
Doctors in Spain are welll educated, practical and prescribe good drugs (that are often so much cheaper than the UK). For almost every ailment you can think of, you’ll be treated with every respect, and to some of the best care in Europe.
In any case, the procedure for getting a doctor within the public health care system is as follows:
Once you get your empadronamiento, you take your form to the local clinic (they’ll tell you where your clinic is at the registration centre for your empadronamiento). You present the form along with your work permit and work contract (if you have those, better that you do, although you won’t be refused) to the desk after waiting the obligatory hour or more; where they’ll present you with a shiny new card good for free public health care at your local doctor’s office.
This doctor will usually be provided or assigned to you, although I believe you can try to specify any that you might know in the area. The next time you need to go to the doctor you’ll call the number for your doctor (which you’ll get along with the card) and thus you set up an appointment with them.
In case of emergencies, you can take your card with you to the hospital and should receive free medical attention.
HEALTH INSURANCE
There are a number of private health insurance companies in Spain.
Prices for private insurance start at about 30 €/month for a 30 year-old male, plus an initial fee of 30 euros.
You might try one of the following international insurers: Bupa International, Aviva of PPP.
SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCY
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS:
A 12-step program for recovering drug addicts. NA meetings in English are available on the Costa del Sol.
- Narcotics Anonymous Spain (Narcóticos Anónimos España)
tel_ 902 114 147
- To obtain information on English-language Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Spain,
email_ english@narcoticosanonimos.es
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS:
A 12-step program for recovering alcoholics. There are English-language AA meetings held on the Costa del Sol.
ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS:
A 12-step program for adult children of alcoholics. Online support meetings are available.
- For ACA support on the Costa del Sol,
tel_ 607 461 748
