Reading in the social media all the confusion of foreigners threatened by others, saying that they will not receive medical assistance in Spain if they are infected by COVID-19 here, make us clarify in this article, once for all, that this is simply untruthful.

The European Health Insurance Card is a free card that gives you access to medically treatments during a temporary stay in Spain as in other European countries. You can go here to apply for a card: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=563&langId=en

People from any of the following countries are entitled to receive medical assistance here as if they were residents in Spain: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Zyprus, Croatia, Denmarc, Eslovaquia, Eslovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Irland, Island, Italy, Letonia, Liechtenstein, Lituania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Paises Bajos, Polonia, Portugal, Check Republic, Rumania, Sweden and Switzerland.

If you are from UK, you will get a GHIC https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/.

You will receive medical assistance in Spain under the same conditions and at the same cost as any resident here. In certain cases, you will have to pay a fixed amount or percentage of the healthcare expenses (medicines), in line with the conditions applicable to residents, as it is in your country.

If you are a resident of any of the countries above, you are entitled to healthcare in Spain and will be treated in the Public Health System regardless of whether the purpose of the temporary stay is a professional activity, for studying or a holiday. Each separate member of a family travelling should have their own card.
COVID-19 or any other illness due to the pandemic is not excluded from the coverage of the European Health Insurance Card. The EHIC/GHIC is not valid if the only purpose of travel is, specifically, to receive medical assistance. However, if you are in Spain to enjoy your holidays or just for some weeks or months and you become ill because of COVID-19, you will certainly be medically assisted exactly the same as any other Spaniard. The priority in the medical assistance will only depend on the severity of your symptoms, never on your nationality, as we have read with stupor in the social media.

You obtain a card by contacting the health insurance institution where you are insured and which is therefore responsible for assuming your healthcare costs.
The EHIC is valid until the expiry date shown on the card. Check before you travel that the card is valid for the whole journey, otherwise ask for a new card before coming here.