31 May, 2013

By VIVA Team

Brits are entitled to Spain's excellent healthcare provided they present one of these: the EHIC

Although the European Commission has launched an investigation into claims that some hospitals in Spain have refused to recognise EU expats’ EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) while seeking treatment they are entitled to, Brits living in or visiting Spain should not worry about their rights.

EU citizens travelling to Spain should take an EHIC with them, which entitles them to free healthcare in any public Spanish hospital or surgery. Under the pan-EU agreement, an EU citizen’s home health service will cover the costs of any treatment received abroad…

However, the Comission is investigating evidence that some Spanish hospitals have either rejected the cards or informed patients that the cost of their treatment should be reclaimed through their travel insurance.

The Commission has been keen to stress that it does not believe that such instances are in any way related to the country’s wider financial problems, but has intimated that should information provided by the Spanish Government show the practice to be more widespread than thought, Spain’s health service could be fined for infringing procedure.

The EHIC covers patients for any pre-existing medical conditions, and should mainly be used by holidaymakers who suffer a medical emergency while in Spain.

However, some expats who live in Spain still present their EHICs when seeking treatment. Doctors may refuse to acknowledge the cards if they know or suspect that the patient actually lives in Spain (you can read more about healthcare procedures for expats in Spain right here on your VIVA), and can also opt to delay treatment if they feel it can wait until a holidaymaker has returned home.

However, the BBC has heard that this has not always been the case, with some tourists claiming that even though their need for medical attention was obvious, some Spanish hospitals asked for travel insurance details upfront.

The Commission has also reported that it has received hundreds of complaints of Spanish hospitals either passing the costs of the treatment on to the patients themselves, or exploring the insurance route, where the hospital’s recompense is far higher.

In its defence, the Spanish Health Ministry has said that the EHIC system has worked perfectly for many years, saying there was ‘no proof’ that some foreign patients had been pressured or tricked into paying through their insurance.

The editor of the International Travel Insurance Journal (yes, it exists) has waded into the debate in defence of Spain. Mandy Aitchison says that the sheer number of people who visit Spain each year – almost 10 million of whom are Brits with around 30 per week seeking medical assistance – places unprecedented strain on the country’s healthcare.

”Some Spanish hospitals have ended up employing third-party private companies, who work on their behalf to try and recover the cost of treating lots and lots of foreigners,” she told the BBC. “And obviously in Spain the problem is exacerbated by the number of foreigners they have to treat, because it’s a very popular holiday destination.”

Whatever the outcome of the Commission’s investigation, Brits should not worry. Arrive armed with your EHIC and you should be fine.

But first of all, try to stay safe while you’re on holiday in Spain – which means drinking in moderation, driving sensibly, staying hydrated and applying liberal amounts of sun lotion.

Happy holidays!