Social Security

The purpose of Social Security Health Care is to provide the medical and pharmaceutical services required to preserve or restore the health of its beneficiaries, as well as their capacity to work.

• Workers, affiliated or in a situation assimilated to being affiliated.
• Pensioners and those receiving periodic Social Security benefits.
• Family members, or those assimilated as such , dependent on the aforementioned persons.
• Others.

More information on holders and beneficiaries

Family members, or those assimilated as such, who are dependent on workers or pensioners, must live with the holder (except separated or divorced persons) and be dependent upon them, must not work for pay, receive rental income, or receive a pension greater than twice the IPREM  and not hold any entitlement to this benefit for any other reason.

In the case of common or occupational diseases, work-related or non-work-related injuries and risk during pregnancy, medical care is provided in the following forms:

Primary care, specialist support, pharmaceutical benefits, supplementary benefits, information and documentation service.

Affiliated workers, pensioners and family members of either, while the pathological process lasts.

In the case of workers who are no longer affiliated with the Social Security and their family members, the duration varies according to the period for which contributions have been made. 

More information on duration 

The entitlement to medical care for both the entitlement holders and for the people dependent upon them, begins the day of affiliation in the Social Security System and becomes effective as from the day after registration in the appropriate Scheme is submitted.

When the conditions required to be the holder or beneficiary of the entitlement are lost.

On death.

Form P.1, for acknowledgement of the entitlement to medical care  for the dependent family members or those assimilated as such, of the holder. It is available in all the Social Security offices. 

Family book or certificates from the Civil Register certifying the family relationship with the right holder and, as appropriate, sentence of separation or divorce and, in cases that so require it, certification of cohabitation and economic dependency.

At any Social Security Office.

The acknowledgement of the entitlement to the benefit is done by the National Institute of the Social Security (INSS).
The pensioners and beneficiaries  it is responsible for will receive the document proving the entitlement to the benefit, along with the decision acknowledging the pension. The document will be valid throughout Spain.
Health services will be provided by each Autonomous Community and by the National Institute for Health Care Management in the cities of Ceuta and Melilla.

European Health Card.

Special Schemes of the Social Security  (Agriculture, Self-Employed Workers, Domestic Employees and Coal Mining).

People with inadequate financial resources in the following groups located in Spain, are also entitled to health care:

• Spaniards
• Foreigners residing legally.
• Foreigners registered in the municipal census corresponding to their place of residence.
• Foreigners under the age of 18.
• Other foreigners not included in the sections above will be treated solely for emergencies, serious illness or accident and in the case of pregnancy, once confirmed, for the duration of the pregnancy and up to six weeks after the birth.

Applications that are submitted at Health Centres, will be processed by the Autonomous Community Health Services or by the National Institute for Health Care Management.

Frequently Asked Questions