Spain needs to stop thinking they can make up rules as they go along. We see it day in day out on places like the roads and within the political system itself. Now they think they can ignore Brussels and disregard the regulations of healthcare for other EU members.
It would appear however that Brussels is not prepared to put up with it and are planning action against Spain for refusing to accept the EU Health cards in some hospitals.
The EU is about to issue what they call ‘an infringement’ procedure against Spain. This has come about due to an increasing number of complaints from people that required treatment at hospitals and medical centres, who were in fact turned away even though under EU regulations they should have been provided with care as they were in possession of an EU health card.
EU Citizens from other EU states should be entitled to exactly the same health care as Spanish citizens, and that is free treatment.
Whether it is a misunderstanding by staff at some hospitals or a blatant attempt to avoid providing free care is yet to be established, but according to reports, some staff wrongly advised patients that they were not entitled to free treatment with their EU Health Card because they had travel insurance.
Spain now had two months to provide more information and take measures to rectify this ‘infringement’ of the rights if EU citizens. Failure to do so will result in the case going to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
