Emergency

Call 112 

Ministerio de Sanidad (Ministry of Health)
Tel.: +34 901 400 100  -  +34 91 596 10 00
Email: oiac@sanidad.gob.es
Website: www.sanidad.gob.es

Treatment, coverage & costs

• Before you consult a doctor or go to a hospital, make sure that they are part of the public healthcare system, meaning they will accept your European Health Insurance Card.
• On the website of the Ministry of Health, you will find a list of public healthcare centres and hospitals.
• Here is more information on public healthcare centres and the NHS Primary Healthcare Centres Catalogue and National Catalogue of Hospitals.
• Some hospitals and health centres ('centros sanitarios') offer both private healthcare (not subsidised, paid in full by the patient) and state-provided care (mainly subsidised). It is up to you to tell them which you want. Any costs you incur for private healthcare are non-refundable and not covered by your EHIC.

Doctors

• State-provided healthcare is free of charge. Be aware that hotels and tour operators might sometimes call or recommend a private doctor, who will charge you.
• If you need to call a doctor in an emergency, make sure you have a valid European Health Insurance Card and ask for state-funded healthcare ('asistencia sanitaria pública' or 'asistencia del Sistema Nacional de Salud').
• If you are asked to pay upfront, you are not being treated under the public healthcare system, and your European Health Insurance Card will not be accepted.

Dentists

• Except for very exceptional acute cases in primary care, dental treatment is generally not available under the state system.
• Only prevention and specific care measures for children are covered.
• Any costs are non-refundable.

Hospital treatment

• You will need a referral from a doctor for any hospital treatment, except in an emergency.
• Only public hospitals offer treatment free of charge.
• Make sure you show your European Health Insurance Card upon admission, otherwise you will be charged as a private patient.
• Costs incurred for private treatment are non-refundable.

Prescriptions

• Medicine prescribed by public health service practitioners can be obtained from any pharmacy ('farmacia').
• If you prove that you are a pensioner from a EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you will be charged a lower percentage of the cost of the prescription (with some exceptions).
• If you require medicine after being discharged from a hospital, this will be stated in the hospital medical report. You must take the report to a public primary care centre ('Centro de salud') where a doctor will give you a prescription.

Ambulance

• Transport by ambulance is free of charge when provided by a public healthcare provider.

Air ambulance

• No specific rules.

Reimbursement

• There are no reimbursements, because state-provided healthcare is free of charge.
• If you have to pay for care, contact your national health insurance provider once you return home to seek reimbursement.

Patient contribution

• Except for prescriptions for medicine, access to the public healthcare system, including primary care, specialised care, hospital treatments and emergency care, is free of charge, without co-payments.
• As a rule, you will have to contribute a percentage of the cost of the medicines financed by the public system and prescribed by a public health provider:
  • 10%, if you are a pensioner from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland;
• 50%, in other cases.

Dialysis, oxygen & chemotherapy

• If you need one of these treatments, you have to arrange and pre-book medical treatment before you go. Allow plenty of time to make all your arrangements before you travel.
• Book a state-funded healthcare provider. Treatments at private healthcare providers are not covered by your EHIC.
• You should contact a hospital for the provision of chemotherapy.
• You should contact a Centro de especialidades (Specialist Centre) or hospital for the provision of dialysis.
• For oxygen therapy, your first point of contact is the Centro de Salud (Health Centre). A Centro de especialidades (Specialist Centre) or hospital can also provide this treatment.
• Before you travel, please contact the Public Health Services of the Autonomous Community where you will be staying. They will inform you about the procedures and centres available.
• Autonomous healthcare organisations

How do I apply for an EHIC?

• More information about how to apply for an EHIC in
  • Spanish
  • English
• Download the social security app for Android or the app for iPhone (in Spanish only)

Doctors & hospitals accepting the EHIC

• List of first aid centres and national hospitals (in Spanish only)

Loss of card

Contacts for holders of EHICs issued in Spain

Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS)
Tel: +34 901 16 65 65  -  +34 915 42 11 76 


Contact the INSS's Head Provincial Offices.

Instituto Social de la Marina (ISM)
Tel: +34 917 00 66 00
Contact the ISM Head Provincial Offices.

For civil servants:

Mutualidad General de Funcionarios Civiles del Estado
Tel: +34 060

Please check MUFACE, the social security body for Spanish civil servants, for the contact information of the Information Office and of the MUFACE Provincial Services.

For justice administration officials:

Mutualidad General Judicial
Tel: +34 91 586 03 00
Contact the MUGEJU’s Head Provincial Offices.

For insured by ISFAS:

Instituto Social de las Fuerzas Armadas (ISFAS)
Tel: +34 91 567 76 00 or +34 90 050 43 26
E-mail: isfasregistro@oc.mde.es
Contact the ISFAS’s Head Provincial Offices.