When British Expats consider relocating to the Costa Blanca , what do they need to know about healthcare? The subject is always a priority to them and for good reason because nobody wants to be worrying about getting sick and not being able to get care or getting the necessary care and then being saddled with a huge hospital bill. With a little careful planning and some advice from a relocation expert (get expert advice now) your worries will disappear and you will be able to enjoy the life you are relocating for, sun, sand and Tinto de Verano. (If you don’t know what that is yet, you are in for a treat.)
Below we will break down the two healthcare options available to all residents on the Costa Blanca. The first option is state healthcare and is free of charge just like the NHS in England and the other option is to secure private health insurance that comes with a cost but allows you access to private healthcare facilities.
Public Healthcare on the Costa Blanca
When relocating to the Costa Blanca, Expats often think that the Spanish healthcare system is quite poor compared to the NHS back home. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. In reality the Spanish system is one of the best in the world. In fact, the World Health Organisation’s last global report ranked Spain 7th in the world for most advanced countries in medicine with the best healthcare. In short, you are in very respected and qualified hands on the Costa Blanca.
Navigating the bureaucratic and administrative waters on the Costa Blanca can be confusing to say the least. This process can again be made easier by contracting the services of a relocation expert (get expert advice now), freeing up your time. Whichever route you take, once you have received your Spanish residency and registered your address with the local town hall you will then receive your health card and be assigned to a health centre (centro de salud) and GP in your area.
This assigned health centre (centro de salud) and GP will be yours permanently and is where you make appointments for all your medical needs and prescriptions. From here you will be referred to hospital or specialists if required and they take care of all the scheduling for you.
The only real downfall for Expats with the public healthcare system on the Costa Blanca aside from the difficulty registering is possibly the language barrier. Unlike other areas of Spain, The Costa Blanca has a very large population of Expats and as a result there is no shortage of English speaking doctors and nurses available to you.
In the end, the good certainly outweighs the bad with the public healthcare system on the Costa Blanca and with a good relocation expert you will be seeing a doctor in no time and at no extra charge.
Private Health Insurance on the Costa Blanca
Private health insurance on the Costa Blanca, like anywhere, comes with a plethora of benefits but will cost you monthly or yearly. The cost varies depending on a number of factors. Those factors could be anything from age, medical history, employment, gender or plan size and type.
It can be difficult to navigate the internet waters and choose a provider and a plan as there are so many options. This is again a good place to use a relocation expert (get expert advice now) as they have many contacts in the insurance field and have experience securing policies for other clients.
With private healthcare insurance on the Costa Blanca you are able to attend any private facility or hospital you choose, provided that your coverage plan covers what you are trying to use.
Private doctors, hospitals and clinics are obviously much nicer and have delays altogether but as mentioned above they will come at a cost and the higher your package and benefits, the higher that cost will be.
If you can afford it and it is important to you then private healthcare insurance is a great option and will be a great experience we are sure.
In Conclusion
The main thing you need to understand about what Expats can expect for healthcare on the Costa Blanca is that whether you choose public state healthcare or private you will be well taken care of and receive a standard of care recognised as top ten in the world.
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