Healthcare in Spain
If you are planning to stay in Spain or if you already live in Spain you should have an NIE number. The NIE number is a unique tax number for foreigners in Spain and is needed to do anything from opening a bank account, to buying a house, to getting a social security number and you can get your NIE through an application via the local police station.
Social Security - The Public Health System
Once you have your NIE you can apply for a Social Security number which can be compared to the UK system in which the monthly contributions made entitle you to maternity pay and free healthcare. Statutory maternity leave in Spain currently stands at 12 weeks which the mother has the choice to take either before or after the baby is born. This amount increases for multiple births by 2 extra weeks per child. Fathers are also granted paid paternity leave for 15 days but in 2015 this is to be increased to 30 days.
Baby Cheque
3 years ago, the "Baby Cheque" was introduced and Mothers who had been resident in Spain for at least 2 years prior to giving birth were entitled to a "cheque bebé" which is the equivalent of the British Baby Bonds introduced by the government which have to be paid into a Child Trust Fund in the UK. Introduced for births in Spain since 1st July 2007, this one-off payment is worth 2,500€ and more information can be found on the Agencia Tributaria website (in Spanish). As of January 1st 2011 however, in an attempt to reduce the deficit in Spain, the prime minister has cut the Baby Cheque and new mothers will no longer receive the cheque. For more information see our Spain Drops Baby Cheque blog post. Announced on 12th May 2010, the news will be a blow to many mums to be in Spain but drastic measures were taken to avoid Spain suffering from the same economic fate that Greece suffered from, and will still be suffering from for some time, in 2010.
Private Healthcare
Many ex-pats may decide to opt for a private insurance policy, allowing them greater flexibility as to the level of healthcare available. The healthcare system is generally considered to be of a high level in Spain and state owned hospitals as well as private hospitals can be found all over Spain.
As far as pregnancy is concerned, private healthcare means that you will get additional scans during your pregnancy. A scan is often done during your first booking in or initial appointment at the hospital as well as the initial blood tests to confirm pregnancy. Also, a doctor in the private system may also offer you pregnancy supplements to take such as Femibion which has the recommended amounts of folic acid to take during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Once you are pregnant, you should make an appointment to see your Doctor in Spain as soon as possible.
Other areas of Healthcare
If you are interested in other areas of pregnancy healthcare such as Embryonic Stem Cell research and therapy, visit www.completelystemcells.com for more information.
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If you have any first hand experiences you would like to share on My Baby Spain, please get in touch!
For more aspects of Healthcare for both mother and baby please check out the following sections:
