Spain's healthcare overhaul leaves many expats high and dry

If there is one lesson for expats to take from the ongoing overhaul of Spain's healthcare system, it is this: consider international health insurance.

Such is the claim of Shelter Offshore, which has responded to the increasingly acrimonious debate surrounding access to healthcare for expats living in the country.

The site has reassured European expats who are at or above the retirement age that they will be afforded access to free healthcare, but warned that early retirees may find themselves left high and dry unless they take out expat health insurance.

"You can compare and contrast international policies with national ones that just cover Spain for example, and you can make sure you're not paying for any extras you don't need," the site advised, adding that approaching an expat financial advisor may help to ease the burden of moving abroad.

The site's report followed recent criticism from SiMAP, the union representing public health officials in Spain, which accused many expats working in the 'black economy' of draining healthcare resources by claiming for emergency care using a European Health Insurance Card.