When your prescription is not covered (medicamentos no financiados)

Key rules

• Non-financed medicines: If a medicine is not financed, you pay its full price.
• Over-the-counter: Medicines bought without a prescription are paid in full too.
• Medicine IVA: Medicines carry 4% IVA, while cosmetics and hygiene products are generally 21%.

If a medicine is not financed, you pay the full price

A doctor can prescribe a medicine that the public health system does not pay for. Then there is no copayment: you pay the whole pharmacy price. The same applies to over-the-counter medicines bought without a prescription. A copayment only exists for financed medicines dispensed on an official prescription.

How to tell if a medicine is financed

Do this before you go to the pharmacy, or at the counter:

1. Find the medicine's name or its código nacional on the box or the prescription.
2. Search for it in the Nomenclátor de facturación, the Ministry of Health's list of medicines financed by the public system. Check the financing status and the price.
3. If you cannot find it, ask the pharmacist. They can confirm whether it is financed.

The national database of authorised medicines gives you the leaflet and authorisation details. It is not the place to check financing.

What you pay when it is financed

For financed medicines, the percentage you pay is charged on the pharmacy price. If the medicine costs more than its reference price, you also pay the difference. For example, a 10-euro medicine at 40% costs you 4 euros. The percentages and reference prices are explained on the copayment page of this guide.

Which IVA applies

Medicines for human use carry IVA at 4%. Cosmetics and hygiene products sold in pharmacies are generally 21%. Some items, such as sanitary pads, are at 10%. Look at your receipt to see what you were charged. In the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla different taxes apply instead of IVA.

The checklist and questions below cover the same steps in short form.

Checklist

• Search that name or code in the Ministry of Health's list of financed medicines (the Nomenclátor de facturación), and check the status and price.

• Ask the pharmacist to confirm whether the medicine is financed if you cannot find it in the list.

• Expect to pay the full price if the medicine is not financed, including any bought without a prescription.

• Check the IVA on your receipt: medicines carry 4%, while cosmetics and hygiene products are generally 21%.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay a copayment on over-the-counter medicines?

No, you pay no copayment on over-the-counter medicines, because you pay the full price instead. They are not funded by the public health system. Copayment only applies to funded medicines dispensed on an official prescription.

What IVA do I pay on medicines compared with cosmetics?

Medicines for human use carry IVA (Spanish sales tax) at the reduced rate of 4%, while cosmetics and hygiene products are generally charged 21%. Some hygiene items, such as sanitary pads, are at 10%. This applies to mainland Spain and the Balearics; the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla use different local taxes.

Can the pharmacist tell me if my medicine is financed?

Yes, you can ask the pharmacist whether your medicine is financed, and they can tell you the price too. The other route is searching the Ministry of Health's list of financed medicines yourself, using the name or national code on the box.