Plans to make savings in Spain in the healthcare and education sectors

23^rd April 2012

The Spanish government, that is committed to reducing its deficit, adopted a plan to save money on 20th April, targeting the extremely sensitive sectors of healthcare and education, hoping to generate 10 billion euros in savings per year. A key measure in the reform of the healthcare sector that aims to save 7 billion: pensioners will pay for their medicines. Traditionally the Spanish do not pay to go to the doctor and only pay part of the price of their medicines, except for pensioners, who pay nothing. From now on the latter, who represent three quarters of national pharmaceutical spending (11 billion euros, 1.1% of the GDP), will have to pay 10% of the pharmacy bill, to a limit of 8 to 18 euros per month depending on their income. Those in work, who have paid 40% of the price of medicines to date, will have to pay up to 60%, depending on their financial situation.

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