The European Health Insurance card (EHIC) gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in Spain. It offers treatment under the same conditions and at the same cost as Spanish nationals.
You obtain a free EHIC by contacting the health insurance institution where you are insured , after which your local authority will be obliged to provide you with a card. Note that the European Commission is not responsible for issuing EHIC cards.
Once attained, your home country is responsible for assuming your healthcare costs when traveling within the EU.
To be eligible for a card, you must be insured by or covered by a state social security system in any Member State of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. Each separate member of a family travelling should have their own card.
People from non-EU countries who are legally residing in the EU and are covered by a state social security scheme are also eligible . However, cover for nationals from non-EU countries does not extend to Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
The card covers you for medically necessary treatments and for a basic level of state healthcare in Spain. For example, if you sustain an injury or illness whilst being away. However, it is important to know that it may not cover all of your costs. If a Spanish national is expected to pay a fee towards their treatment in Spain, those visiting, even if you have an EHIC card, would be expected to pay the same.
You can only use your EHIC card in public hospitals; it does not cover you for private health care. If you would like private healthcare, you will have to pay or take out separate medical insurance.
Students from the EU and people who are in Spain on a student status, for example as a teaching assistant, are entitled to use their EHIC card for the entirety of their stay. In this case, it is not necessary to take out private health insurance unless you want to have extra coverage.
Make sure to have this sorted before you leave for Spain, as not doing so can result in bureaucratic problems.
The EHIC is designed for a temporary stay in Spain and therefore, if you end up moving to Spain for good, you will need to register with the S1 form . You will be able to access public healthcare with it, instead of using the EHIC.
For those who split their time between Spain and their homeland, it can be difficult to ensure that you’re covered for healthcare in both countries due to legal stipulations. In this case, taking out a global health insurance from a company like SafetyWing can be a good solution. They are especially geared towards remote workers and digital nomads and offer comprehensive coverage (including Covid-19, just like any other illness) whether you are in your home country, in a new country or even travelling abroad.