Medical Care

[rappahannock_rev]

Recently, halfway through my 2nd Camino, I tripped and fell crossing the street in El Virgin del Camino. I sustained a messy compound fracture of the little finger of my right hand.

A very professional rescue squad was quickly on the scene and transported me to the large hospital in nearby Leon. There I was admitted to the emergency room, examined and x-rayed. Surgery was needed, and immediately undertaken - with complete success. A few more x-rays and then I was bandaged and sent on my way with prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers. In and out in 4 hours!

The fact that I had my passport and travel insurance contact information on me, in a money belt, doubtless expedited things. Speaking a bit of Spanish helped too, I'm sure, but once the hospital saw my docs there was no trouble about fees. I was not asked to pay a single euro.

The treatment I received was world-class, comparable to anything I might have received in the 'States, or better. Viva Espana!

 

[DurhamParish]

Sorry for your fall, but I'm glad that your care and treatment was up to the standards needed. I am glad that you are able to continue. I hope the rest of your camino isn't so "eventful". Buen Camino.

 

[grayland]

The current system for foreign Pilgrims seems to be to make a copy of your passport and send you a bill at home much later.
This bill, from personal experience, can be ridiculously low or ridiculously high. You can submit that to your travel medical insurance when you get it.

You may fall between the cracks and never receive the bill. Don't count on it, though the chances are ever greater you will be billed as they get their system refined.
This has been going on for the last couple of years.

A few years ago there was not a system in place and you would usually have received treatment without being charged. This has changed.

Medical travel insurance is cheap and a very good idea.

 

[Anniesantiago]

So sorry about your fall, Father.
I hope you're mending quickly.
Whether or not you are billed, I agree that Spain has excellent medical care.
It also seems much more organized and runs more smoothly and quickly than anything we have in the USA, in my experience.

 

[williamlittig]

Recently, halfway through my 2nd Camino, I tripped and fell crossing the street in El Virgin del Camino. I sustained a messy compound fracture of the little finger of my right hand.

A very professional rescue squad was quickly on the scene and transported me to the large hospital in nearby Leon. There I was admitted to the emergency room, examined and x-rayed. Surgery was needed, and immediately undertaken - with complete success. A few more x-rays and then I was bandaged and sent on my way with prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers. In and out in 4 hours!

The fact that I had my passport and travel insurance contact information on me, in a money belt, doubtless expedited things. Speaking a bit of Spanish helped too, I'm sure, but once the hospital saw my docs there was no trouble about fees. I was not asked to pay a single euro.

The treatment I received was world-class, comparable to anything I might have received in the 'States, or better. Viva Espana!

We all are glad to hear of your care and recovery. I too had the pleasure and pain of injury and recovery on the Camino's. My wife's feet gave out in Portugal (2014) we limped her to a hospital, late at night. With Pilgrim's credential and a US passport she was professionally cared for by two doctors for an hour. We were charged for bandages and medication, only! we offered to make a donation but they had no legal means to accept monies other than hospital fees. I hope our gratitude is enough........ Ultreya....... Pam & Willy, Utah, USA

 

[StevethePlanner]

A question: I walked in May 2015 and about two weeks in had broncitis and sinus infection at the same time for about a week. I just toughed it out. Later, I was told you can get inexpensive antibiotics at the Pharmacy without a doctor perscription as needed in the U.S. What can you get in a Spainish pharmacy that one can not get in the U.S.? Some Cipro (or something) would have been nice.

 

[VNwalking]

I'm sorry to hear about your fall , Padre, and hope you heal quickly.
It can happen in a split second, can't it!?
Glad you got such good care so quickly.
Take care out there...vaya con Dios, and may the rest of your camino be uneventful!

 

[timr]

@StevethePlanner I had a quite nasty sinus infection in May this year. I could NOT get antiobiotics over the counter in the pharmacy in Portomarin. The helpful pharmacist told me I would need a doctor's prescription. (I am a physician myself.) She directed me to a government clinic about 500 metres away. I turned up there, unannounced, and got an appointment for about 45 minutes later. I returned to the pharmacy with my prescription and got antibiotics and painkillers for a nominal fee - about €8 total if I remember correctly. The medical consultation was free after I produced my EHIC card - used to be called an E111 - and my passport. They photocopied them, I didn't need to fill in any detailed forms. Throughout Europe, I think, healthcare is excellent and generous and, for EEC citizens, is essentially free. This is not the case in other important countries I have visited.

 

[grayland]

I have purchased Cipro over the counter, without prescription, several times in various places.
I am surprised that anyone was turned down. Maybe you were asking for a specific medicine that does require an Rx.

 

[Jetgirl]

Grayland, my experience was much like you describe. I was well treated and had surgery in Burgos but they would not accept payment at the time. Not 2 weeks home received a bill that while not high was a tremendous pain to pay because I had to wire Euros. The account holder in Spain wasn't clear from the paperwork so I ended up having a translator friend call the billing department in Burgos then taking that info to the bank and wiring Euros. All in all VERY annoying when I could have paid w travel insurance or my Visa card in the moment.

 

[Harington]

The current system for foreign Pilgrims seems to be to make a copy of your passport and send you a bill at home much later.
This bill, from personal experience, can be ridiculously low or ridiculously high. You can submit that to your travel medical insurance when you get it.

You may fall between the cracks and never receive the bill. Don't count on it, though the chances are ever greater you will be billed as they get their system refined.
This has been going on for the last couple of years.

A few years ago there was not a system in place and you would usually have received treatment without being charged. This has changed.

Medical travel insurance is cheap and a very good idea.

But surely the EHIC card should ensure free treatment?

 

[grayland]

But surely the EHIC card should ensure free treatment?

Sorry about not being clear.
My remarks were concerning non-Europeans.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

A question: I walked in May 2015 and about two weeks in had broncitis and sinus infection at the same time for about a week. I just toughed it out. Later, I was told you can get inexpensive antibiotics at the Pharmacy without a doctor perscription as needed in the U.S. What can you get in a Spainish pharmacy that one can not get in the U.S.? Some Cipro (or something) would have been nice.

I buy cephalexin, amoxycilin and predisone on each of my walks, and in great quantities as it's foe my dog for the year, never have been asked for a prescription. But I needed a diurretic once and the fist farmacia wanted to send me to the local clinic to get a prescription; I just went to the farmacia 200 meters down the road and got what I needed.

 

[mountaingoat999]

I buy cephalexin, amoxycilin and predisone on each of my walks, and in great quantities as it's foe my dog for the year, never have been asked for a prescription. But I needed a diurretic once and the fist farmacia wanted to send me to the local clinic to get a prescription; I just went to the farmacia 200 meters down the road and got what I needed.

could you clarify what is a "fist farmacia" you mentioned

 

[mspath]

Might it not be "first farmacia"?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

could you clarify what is a "fist farmacia" you mentioned

Yes, fiRst, thank you Margaret.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I had packed about 2lb of heart medicine, At the time I was not sure what I could have gotten with my prescriptions but I wasn't going to trust I could get what I needed. Now I have no doubt if I had to get anything I needed, probably just by showing them the pill. Way less expensive than in the U.S. But if someone is concerned just take paper prescription labels with you.

 

[CaptBuddy]

I had packed about 2lb of heart medicine, At the time I was not sure what I could have gotten with my prescriptions but I wasn't going to trust I could get what I needed. Now I have no doubt if I had to get anything I needed, probably just by showing them the pill. Way less expensive than in the U.S. But if someone is concerned just take paper prescription labels with you.

Good advice. I also asked my cardio-doc to give me a one page write up of my conditions and treatments. He was happy to do it. Just in case. (Copies and scanned into a pdf.)

 

[peregrina2000]

My experience in Spain and Portugal has always been that I could get prescription drugs in a farmacia without a prescription. Just like Anemone, I have occasionally found a farmacia that insisted on a Spanish doctor's prescription, but a few hundred meters down the road, there is usually a farmacia with a different attitude. I think the pharmacists who will give you prescription drugs without a prescription fall into two categories -- those who believe that you know what you are talking about and give you medicine based on your representations, and those who are going to illegally profit from you (by selling you the prescription drug at the non-subsidized rate and then submitting a little square from the box of medicine (which they have just sold to you at market prices) to get reimbursed for selling you the drug at the subsidized rate).

This happened to me on the Vdlp in Fuenterroble, when I had a horrible allergy attack. There is a part time pharmacist there, and when I showed him the boxes of my prescription medicine, he told me he would go get them in Salamanca for me. This was a huge help for me. But a Spanish peregrino I was walking with at the time showed me that when the pharmacist had sold me the medicine for 40 euros, he had also cut out the little square in the box that showed that he had sold me the medicine for the subsdized price of probably aboaut two euros. So the pharmacist made a lot of money from me, but I was happy to pay the premium to be able to get my medicine!

 

[grayland]

My wife did get a prescription from a Dr. for an antibiotic. It was simply written on a piece of paper...not anything formal. Just the name and the dosage.
I now just write down the Spanish name of the prescription drug I need on a piece of paper and give it to the pharmacist. Never have had a question.
They just go get it or tell me they do not have it in stock. It seems to always be a very low price.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I have occasionally found a farmacia that insisted on a Spanish doctor's prescription, but a few hundred meters down the road, there is usually a farmacia with a different attitude.

Yes we found this too. It helps if the pharmacy 'specialises'. Eg if you need drops for an eye infection go to a pharmacy that has an opticians attached. Also we have found the farmacias in smaller towns and cities more helpful than in the large ones. We did wonder if some of the attitudes/rules are regional as farmacias in Galicia and Asturias have always been helpful but in Cantabria less so, although in Santander we did eventually find a farmacia to help us.

 

[Atlas Traveler]

@grayland good advice. Thank you.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Nice to know that if we have a medical issue in Spain we will be able to get looked after, it is Europe after all. As a young man (35 years ago) I was in Spain and Portugal for almost two years just travelling and being a rebel. Even then the medical attention at hospitals was outstanding.

 

[grayland]

Remember that you will hear many times that medical care in Spain is free.
This simply not true for non-Europeans. In the past there was no system to bill non-Europeans so you most often were not charged.
Thus, people who had medical care and were not charged will post that medical is free as that is what they had previously experienced.
It has changed over the past few years.

Now, the practice is to copy your passport and send you a bill ...long after you return home. From experience, the bill will be very low or...very high. Some will fall through the cracks and not be billed but you have no control over that.

I recommend medical travel and evacuation insurance. It is very cheap and can save a world of problems. You can turn over the bill if you receive one to the insurance company and (in my experience) they will take care of it.

Medical evacuation can cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars so is a very good idea. Lots of horror stories in this area.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Agreed, having medical insurance is a must, I would not travel without it. I have no issues paying for the service which in my experience has not been very costly, especially when compare to the North American cost of health care. Skiing in Vermont in 2013 my ski partner had and accident and broke a bone in his right foot, we went to the clinic and had to give our credit card right away, the cost for a 2 hour visit (very quick) for X-rays and cast on the fractured foot was $900.00. They had a credit card reader and they were not afraid to use it.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Finally got an e-bill. For what would have cost me thousands of dollars in the Sates, the hospital in Leon is charging me only 110 euros.

Viva Espana!

 

[Christian Hiriart]

That's awesome rapphannock rev. Viva España indeed.

 

[Atlas Traveler]

Recently, halfway through my 2nd Camino, I tripped and fell crossing the street in El Virgin del Camino. I sustained a messy compound fracture of the little finger of my right hand.

A very professional rescue squad was quickly on the scene and transported me to the large hospital in nearby Leon. There I was admitted to the emergency room, examined and x-rayed. Surgery was needed, and immediately undertaken - with complete success. A few more x-rays and then I was bandaged and sent on my way with prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers. In and out in 4 hours!

The fact that I had my passport and travel insurance contact information on me, in a money belt, doubtless expedited things. Speaking a bit of Spanish helped too, I'm sure, but once the hospital saw my docs there was no trouble about fees. I was not asked to pay a single euro.

The treatment I received was world-class, comparable to anything I might have received in the 'States, or better. Viva Espana!

What travel insurance policy did you have?

 

[rappahannock_rev]

World Nomads, Standard Plan.