EHIC, Travel Insurance & Getting Medical Help in Gran Canaria: What You Really Need to Know
If you’ve packed your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and thought you were medically invincible while visiting Gran Canaria—well, you’re kind of right, but also kind of… not. Here’s what you need to know before you roll up to a pharmacy or try booking a GP in your flip-flops.
💳 What the EHIC Actually Covers
Let’s clear up a big one first: your EHIC gives you access to public healthcare in Spain, not private. It’s meant to cover treatment that “can’t wait until you get home,” including for chronic or pre-existing conditions.
This includes things like:
- Replacing lost prescriptions
- Managing a flare-up of a chronic illness (think asthma, diabetes, etc.)
- Unexpected health issues that need attention (but aren’t necessarily emergencies)
The treatment must be deemed medically necessary by a local provider, taking into account your condition and how long you’re staying.
What it does not cover: planned treatments or medical tourism.
🏥 So Can You Actually See a Doctor?
That’s where things get tricky. Many visitors report that general practitioners in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria often don’t accept EHICs directly. So what happens?
You guessed it: Urgencias (Emergency Rooms) become your default—even for non-urgent but important issues like getting a prescription refill. Not ideal, but sometimes necessary.
That said, down south in Maspalomas, some clinics are more EHIC-friendly. Two examples that have worked for travelers in the past include:
They might accept EHICs directly, or at least help you navigate reimbursement. It’s worth calling ahead to ask.
💊 What About Medications?
Yes, prescription meds are partially covered, but not free.
- With an EHIC, you’re typically responsible for around 50% of the cost.
- Meds must be prescribed by a doctor, which often means going through Urgencias just to get what you need.
- Always keep your receipts in case you need to claim reimbursement.
If you also have travel insurance, check your policy—it may cover 100% of the cost of prescribed medicine. In many cases, this is the easiest route to reimbursement.
🧾 Reimbursement: Manage Expectations
If you end up paying out of pocket (especially at a private clinic), you might still be eligible for partial reimbursement—but it’s not always straightforward.
For example, one German traveler paid for a urine test in Portugal, only to be reimbursed €0.60 based on what that test would cost in Germany. The actual bill? €12.
Every country’s public health system handles this a little differently, but the key points are:
- You may not get back the full amount you paid
- Some insurers use national reference pricing, which is often lower
- Travel insurance usually reimburses a higher percentage, faster
So if you’re unsure, it may be worth using your travel insurance instead of EHIC when dealing with private care.
🧠 TL;DR
- EHIC works with Spain’s public healthcare system only. Private doctors? Not covered.
- In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, many GPs don’t accept EHICs directly.
- Emergencies? Urgencias is your go-to—even for stuff like prescriptions.
- In the south, some clinics do accept EHICs or help with reimbursement—call ahead.
- Medications are partially covered by EHIC; fully covered if you’ve got good travel insurance.
- Keep your receipts and always double-check with your insurer before treatment.
🧠 Bonus: What About My Insurance Back Home?
Each national health insurer handles EHIC reimbursements differently. As a quick example, some German travelers insured with TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) have reported that their insurer only reimbursed treatment based on German fee schedules—even if they saw private doctors abroad. Other national systems may be more generous—or less so.
Bottom line: contact your home insurance provider before treatment to confirm what’s covered.
📱 Final Tip
Still not sure where to go or what’s covered? Call your travel insurer or home health provider directly before treatment. If a doctor won’t accept your EHIC, paying upfront and claiming via travel insurance is often the least bureaucratic option.
Stay healthy, stay hydrated, and keep your EHIC handy—but maybe don’t rely on it too hard.
