Winter, the time of colds not only in northern cold countries, but also in warm Spain.
What is the state of health care in this country? Medicine in Spain is at a high level and is recognised as one of the most advanced: the country ranks fourth in the world in terms of doctors’ qualifications, clinics’ equipment and affordability.
Spaniards are the main long-livers of Europe, today the average life expectancy on the peninsula is 83 years, and, according to forecasts, the figure will grow.
98% of the population has access to free medical care, which is 2% higher than the European average. The State provides not only outpatient treatment for citizens, but also surgical intervention, hospitalisation and rehabilitation, during which modern equipment and innovations are used for all, regardless of nationality or financial status.
Public or public for-profit clinic?
The procedure for seeing a doctor in a public and a commercial clinic is different. The former involves an initial “filtering” of patients by the local general practitioner. After examining the patient, he or she gives recommendations in case of a minor ailment, prescribes medication or refers to the right specialist. Due to the high demand for Spanish medicine, waiting for a visit stretches for weeks and even months, so some people prefer to go to private institutions, where the problem of queues is absent. For a paid consultation a person chooses a doctor himself, according to reviews on the Internet or recommendations of friends, makes an appointment with him directly and saves a lot of time.
The country’s medical workers piously observe the principle of “Do no harm”, allowing the body to cope with the disease as much as possible on its own, so, unlike the practice of many post-Soviet countries, they are unlikely to prescribe a mountain of drugs unnecessarily. This does not mean that you will leave the office empty-handed – treatment will be carried out, but strictly according to the prescription and without the need to swallow pills “for prevention”. Perhaps it is because of this principle are born jokes that in Spain everything that can not be cured paracetamol, can be isolated ibuprofen)))
FREE PUBLIC MEDICINE
The Spanish health care system provides basic and emergency medical care for the population, including the whole range of services: consultations on various types of diseases, emergency ambulance and primary care, tests and operations (except dentistry).
INSURED SERVICES
Despite the excellent quality of public and municipal health care, more and more Spaniards and resident foreigners prefer to use the services of private institutions. It is no secret that, no matter how accessible medicine is, such private care is not a cheap pleasure: so, a consultation in a clinic in Spain can cost 100-150 euros, surgery – from 1000. That is why most users of paid hospitals resort to an insurance policy, partially or fully covering the treatment course. According to data for 2019, more than 20% of the population improved their health with insurance.
The main players in the insurance market are five companies – Adeslas, Sanitas, Asisa, DKV and Mapfre – accounting for 70% of policies. Monthly quotas depend on the amount of coverage, age and health condition of the patient, with the standard price starting at 40 euros per month.
Broadway Consulting can help you with your insurance and medical card for public clinics!
