The Council of Ministers in Spain approved the Universal Health Care Bill of the National Health System (SNS). 

The bill recovers the right to health care on equal terms for Spanish people residing abroad, for foreigners who come for family reunification, and for all people residing in Spain regardless of their administrative status through the review of Law 16/2003 (28 May 2024) on cohesion and quality of the SNS. The bill reinstates the unique common portfolio of services and prevents the introduction of new co-payments for patients, marking a significant shift from previous legislation.

The legislative proposal extends the right to health care for people with Spanish nationality who reside abroad and those temporarily displaced to Spanish territory plus the relatives who accompany them. Rights to health protection and health care are also extended to parents reunited by a daughter or son who holds the right to health care in the SNS, when they are in their care and provided that there is no third party obligated to pay for such assistance.

In addition, the following groups will have the right to health protection and health care, during their stay in Spain:

• people applying for international protection
• people applying for and benefiting from temporary protection
• victims of human trafficking whose temporary stay in Spain has been authorised during the recovery and reflection period
• people not registered or authorised as residents in Spain

In the case of the latter group, the assistance - which does not generate a right to coverage outside Spanish territory - will be charged to the public funds of the competent administrations. This, however, can only take place under specific conditions.

The bill also allows for (part of the) medication cost to be covered.