The extension of the right to health care to family members and assimilated persons (Beneficiaries)

The Spanish Social Security, or rather the National Social Security Institute, recognises those who have obtained the right to health care as workers, benefit recipients or pensioners, the right to extend the same health care coverage to their family members (or similar).

This is a possibility that not everyone is aware of, and which guarantees equal health care for a large part of the national and foreign population, who are regularly in Spanish territory; those who can obtain this right, by virtue of their family or similar relationship, are called «beneficiaries«.

Is it possible, therefore, to request the extension of the right to health care to one or more beneficiaries? Absolutely yes, the National Social Security Institute recognises this possibility for various categories of people who can prove one of the following requirements:

– be the insured person’s spouse or be in a legally recognised domestic partnership with him/her

– be a former spouse or legally separated if you are entitled to a pension from the insured person

– be a descendant (or equivalent) of the insured person or of his/her spouse (even if legally separated) and under 26 years of age or, if over 26 years of age, with a recognised disability equal to or greater than 65%.

The following are considered to be assimilated to descendants

– minors under guardianship or legal custody of the insured person, of his spouse, even if legally separated, or of his unmarried partner, as well as of his dependent ex-spouse when, in the latter case, the guardianship or custody has taken place before the divorce or annulment of the marriage

– the brothers and sisters of the insured person

Descendants and assimilated persons are considered as dependants of the insured person if they live with him and are financially dependent on him. For this purpose, the following should be taken into account:

– Unemancipated minors are always considered to be dependent on the insured person.

– In the event of separation for reasons of work, studies or similar circumstances, the insured person is considered to live with the insured person.

– Elderly persons and emancipated minors are not considered to be economically dependent on the insured person if they have an annual income of more than double the annual Public Multiple Effect Income Indicator (IPREM), included in the annual calculation.

All the persons mentioned in the previous paragraphs will be considered as beneficiaries as long as they fulfil the following requirements:

– They do not hold the status of insured person in accordance with article 2.1.a of Royal Decree number 1192/2012, of 3 August.

– They have authorised and effective residence in Spain, except in the case of those who move temporarily to Spain (for example, in the case of workers transferred from their company outside Spanish territory, provided that they are in a situation assimilated to that of an insured person, contributing to the corresponding Spanish Social Security scheme).

In relation to this last point, it is important to note that in the case of citizens of EU Member States, even if they are minors, they will only be entitled to be considered as beneficiaries of the health care of an insured person if they:

– They are in possession of a «Certificate of registration as a citizen of the European Union«.

– Their family relationship (or similar) can be accredited with official documentation presented (in person or online) in «multilingual» format or accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish (and apostilled, in the case of documentation from non-EU countries). The documentation requested can be: marriage certificate, birth certificate, public deed of registration of partnership, court ruling, etc.

The extension of the right to health care or, better still, the incorporation of a «beneficiary» (or beneficiaries) can be done in person at the competent office of the National Social Security Institute or telematically, using your own Digital Certificate or that of a duly authorised representative.

Once you have obtained the positive «resolution» from the National Social Security Institute on the extension of a beneficiary’s entitlement to health care, because they already have a registered census (“Empadronamiento”), you can request the assignment of a family doctor and the issue of the health card from the health authority of the autonomous community of residence (Catsalut, Agencia Valenciana de Salud, Servicio de Salud de las Islas Baleares, etc.).

Do you need help in applying for recognition as a beneficiary of an insured person’s health cover?

Contact BarcelonaGlobalService at francesco@barcelonaglobalservice.com for more information or through the contact link (Web: https://barcelonaglobalservice.com/; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barcelonaglobalservice; Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bcnglobalservice/ ; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barcelonaglobalservice/ ).