Spain Medical Insurance News
Due to a high standard of living many foreign nationals are choosing to relocate to Spain on a permanent basis. One of the biggest concerns facing these newly arrived expatriates is the quality and availability of healthcare in the country. Overall, the Spanish healthcare system is of an extremely high quality and able to provide a high standard of treatment and care. The majority of healthcare facilities in the country are well equipped with the latest technology and able to provide a myriad of treatment options.
If you pay social security in Spain then all healthcare treatment is free. This is one of the major points that is attracting the large amounts of immigrants that are currently seeking to enter the country. The Spanish healthcare system is extremely similar to the British NHS, and ensures that all tax paying residents will receive a high standard of virtually free healthcare. The major draw back with this system, as many opponents are starting to point out, is the fact that the healthcare system in the country is starting to reach saturation point, and access to this free, high quality care is becoming increasingly difficult.
Outside of the public healthcare system, approximately 6 million Spaniards have private medical insurance. This is due to the fact that public hospitals are now starting to become seriously overcrowded and some individuals feel that they cannot afford to wait for the treatment that they need. Generally medical insurance offered in Spain is of a high standard; however, when compared to the policies available in other countries many individuals complain that the coverage is limited.
Outside of the overly bureaucratic and overcrowded public healthcare system in the country, the major complaint in regards to Spanish medicine revolves around nursing staff and facilities. Spanish nurses, while competent, are not generally trained up to the standards of many other European Union nations and are unable to provide anything for their patients outside of the most basic services. The flipside to this is, however, that many hospitals will allow a patient to have a visitor stay with them 24 hours a day, and this visitor will typically perform many of the services usually provided by nurses (feeding, companionship, etc.).
Spain is able to offer high quality medical treatment and healthcare services to anyone in the country, however if you are not a member of the national security scheme, or do not have quality health insurance, the costs at many of the best Spanish hospitals and clinics are extremely high. We can provide international medical insurance plans that will afford you and your loved ones the protection that you need anywhere in the world. Plans that we can offer to expatriates living in Spain , or Spanish nationals around the world, will provide you with a number of coverage benefits including hospitalization, out-patient treatment, maternity and dental, specialist consultations, alternative therapies, complimentary medicine, and emergency evacuation.
For more information about Spain, the international health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.