One of the questions we repeatedly got when we told people we were moving to Spain is "What are you doing about health insurance?" The simple answer is that we purchased private insurance, which is incredibly reasonably priced, although we are getting an 8.8% increase in our premium this year. (Sounds familiar, right?)
Last week, Jeff thought he was going to have to put this insurance to its first test as he woke up with what he knew was a sinus infection. The last time he had one, in Canada, the doctor at the clinic there said that anyone who has had one immediately recognizes the next. So, he figured he would go to the doctor get a prescription for antibiotics and be fine in a few days.
In the US, with insurance, this might cost about $35 ($25 co-pay for the doctor, $10 co-pay for the medication). In Canada (for a foreigner) it cost about $100 ($75 for the doctor and $25 for the medication), although both of those were partially reimbursed by our US health insurance. (We have no idea how much this would cost without insurance in the US, but probably a lot).
In Spain, the total bill was $7 - and we didn't use our insurance. In Spain, a lot of medications that require a prescription in the US/Canada, are sold by pharmacists over the counter. This includes antibiotics. So, Jeff just went to the pharmacy that is literally steps from our apartment, explained that he had sinusitus, that the last time he had been given azithromycin (a Z-Pack in the US and Canada), and . . . voila, he had his medication. No doctor, no prescription, no insurance forms. Simple.
Just another thing to love about Spain.
Hasta luego,
Jeff and Shana
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