Healthcare
Healthcare reform 2025: How It affects foreign residents
Published: August 2025
In 2025, Spain has introduced several significant healthcare reforms that directly impact foreign residents. Whether you are new to Spain or have lived here for years, it’s important to understand how these changes may affect your access to medical care.
Main changes in the Spanish healthcare system
- Universal Coverage Expansion: All legal residents, regardless of employment status, now have access to public healthcare services. This includes non-working dependents and retirees.
- Mandatory Health Insurance for Non-EU Residents: Non-EU citizens must show proof of private health insurance for their first year of residency before accessing the public system.
- Digital Health Records: A new national digital health record system allows patients to access their medical history online and share it with healthcare providers across Spain.
- Shorter Waiting Times: Investment in hospitals and clinics has reduced average waiting times for specialist appointments and surgeries.
- Multilingual Support: Many public hospitals now offer language assistance services for English-speaking patients.
How does this affect expats?
- If you are a legal resident, you are entitled to the same healthcare as Spanish citizens.
- New arrivals from non-EU countries must have private health insurance for at least one year.
- EU citizens can still use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for temporary stays, but must register for public healthcare if residing long-term.
What should you do?
- Check your residency status and ensure you have the required health insurance.
- Register with your local health center (centro de salud) to access public services.
- Set up your digital health record for easier access to your medical history.
- Ask about language support if you are not fluent in Spanish.
