Back home healthcare was tied to work. Now we're retiring to Spain and I genuinely don't understand how we're covered as non-working residents. Private? Some agreement? How did you sort this before you moved?
Sorted our specific healthcare arrangement before moving, while still in the home country where it was far easier to research and arrange properly.
Following, same destination as you, same confusion.
Honest summary: retiree healthcare access is very country- and nationality-specific, and reciprocal arrangements change. Rather than trust a "you'll definitely qualify", check the Healthcare and Insurance sections for your destination and confirm your specific route before you rely on it — and keep private cover for the settling-in window.
OP here — checking the guide’s healthcare section like Jimmy suggested, for our specific situation. Should have started there.
British pensioners in Spain have their own route into the public system through the state pension, as far as I understand it, and for us that was the answer to your question, Linda. But it depends entirely on your nationality and which pension you get, so check your own case in the guide rather than assuming ours applies. Private cover bridged the first few months for us too.
Same route for us in Portugal, and the paperwork took longer than the move itself.