As a non-EU citizen who has had several experiences with Spain's health care system, the suggestion on the blog that health care is free for foreigners is not consistent with my experience. Like Sil, I had heard that there were special procedures/rates available for pilgrims, but I have never seen that to be the case. Maybe others can correct me if I'm wrong.
In my experiences (one in Caceres, one in Belorado), I was indeed able to quickly see a doctor and receive the necessary medical care. The care was not free, however; rather, the bills arrived about 2 or 3 months later at my home address in the United States. When I was in Caceres this past spring (having had the hassle of paying a European bill from the US several years earlier), I asked the attendant taking all my information whether it wouldn't be more efficient for me to pay the bill now. For those of us outside the EU, of course, getting euros to pay the bill once we're back in the US is kind of a hassle. The employee agreed and told me that in her experience, many if not most who receive these bills just fail to pay them, but there is little that the Spanish health care provider can do about it. One obvious change would be to ask for payment up front, but that seems not to be consistent with medical practice in Spain generally.
So, I guess my thoughts here are that, just like the "free" albergues, the Camino offers freeloaders many opportunities to freeload. But that doesn't make it right.
Laurie