My experience with the Spanish health system

While I was in Salamanca for my Erasmus, and back from my Christmas holiday, I started having severe pains in my uterus and stomach and a high fever. Therefore, I decided to go to a semi-private hospital close to home for a first check-up and a gynaecological clinic for a second one. In the end, I was hospitalised for a few weeks for examinations and treatments due to an infection found in my bladder. Thanks to the insurance taken out through the university at the beginning of my mobility (compulsory and for a modest cost of 19 euros per year), the two private examinations were covered directly and entirely by it, as well as a rather expensive medicine. Therefore, I was very grateful to the university for making the insurance compulsory and thus guaranteeing me free access to treatment. But I am also grateful to my Italian health insurance card, also valid as a European health insurance card, which guaranteed me access to free hospitalisation in the public hospital. Hence, my personal advice is to check that your National health card (if European) is valid throughout Europe, or then obtain the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before departure. From that day on, whenever I leave abroad and especially for long-term stays, I always take out insurance and find out about the local health system.