Hi Jane,
below extract from the > Mijas Foreigners Dept. Information On Spanish Social Security Health Care<. Leaflet
'If they have not yet reached the condition of pensioner in their home country, or are employees working abroad or unemployed persons, they should ask for form E-106 if wishing to receive medical health care in Spain. On arrival in spain they should contact the closest CAISS office and have the form stamped - if family members also require health care, take documentation to prove the relationship (i.e. marriage certificate birth certificate etc...) This procedure is immediate. To register for health care take a copy of the form to the nearest health centre with a copy of your passport. Always keep the original copy while staying in Spain'
If you need more information there is a tel. no. 952 58 90 10 and if you live in Mijas the CAISS office is situated in feungirola.
CAISS apparently stands for ( Centers of attention and information of the social security)
This website could be helpful www.seg-social.es
If you live in Mijas La Cala would be your first port of call for more info. not sure if you can download the E-106 form we brought ours from the UK but ours is the E-121 as we are pensioners. The one thing I am sure of you cannot go directly to a doctor. Also prescribed medicine is free for pensioners however everybody else will only have to pay 40% of the cost.
hope this helps, Kathy