Accessing Emergency Health Care

your private health insurance should have a cover for emergency treatment have you checked with them?  As you are a Spanish resident I am not sure if reciprical cover from UK would apply you could of course have the European Health card but that would not cover expensive treatment if needed. 

We have ASSSA private health care as in the same boat, recently had to use for emergency care at Vergin Del Mar in Almeria...have to say excellent service from both hospital and insurance company....

EHIC (or GHIC now) is for emergencies as a tourist; it is no longer valid when you become a resident as your private health effectively replaces it.  Yes, private health should have a provision for emergency treatment.

Reciprocity is only applicable to holders of a registered S1 form.  

Hi

Thank you for your prompt response; yes I am covered for emergencies by private health; but it would have entailed can hour’s drive by car or ambulance. It’s something I need to look into further, I think, but appreciate you getting back to me

saludos

Yes, I have been to Virgin Del Mar Almeria, but on an appointment basis. So: If I was suffering a heart attack,, would I not be able to call the normal emergency services which is 5 mins from where I live? Or do I call my private health, to take me to a hospital 1 or 2 hours away? Just thinking, and opening up the thread, as this is likely to occur for others, who like me, have to pay for health services.

Thank you for your prompt response 

Saludos

I would say that were you suffering a heart attack or similar, you’d phone 112 and an ambulance would take you to nearest emergency care facility, and once stabilized, if you needed further care, you’d then be transferred to private health care hospital.

This is exactly what happened to a friend a short while ago, he needed emergency care which was provided more locally then once stable he was transferred to Vergin Del Mar for onward care...in my case we just went directly to Almeria for emergency treatment...

That’s what I hope would happen; however, my situation was less serious but required prompt action due to blood loss.

Ok, let’s hope Spain Public Health Service are/were sympathetic to me, and I don’t get landed with a bill for services! I will say it was confusing for the administrator, when I told her I did not have a tarjeta de sanataria, as it threw her pile of papers into total disarray.

Thank you Dario…. always helpful

Thank you so much; I feel much less concerned now. I had a vision of an ambulance team saying ‘sorry, you’re not in the system, so we can’t take you’……. Phew

Once again, thank you; appreciate it