Heart Surgery with Sanitas
Almost nobody books a heart surgeon directly. A cardiologist investigates first and refers on, which is the right order, because most heart problems are treated with medication rather than an operation.
How people get here
Almost nobody books a heart surgeon directly. The route is a cardiologist first, who investigates, then refers on if an operation is the answer. That is the sensible order, because most heart problems are treated with medication rather than surgery.
The main operations
Coronary bypass, where blocked arteries are worked around using a vessel taken from elsewhere in the body.
Valve repair or replacement, where one of the heart's valves has narrowed or leaks.
Pacemakers, for rhythm problems; Sanitas does not cover an implanted defibrillator.
Aortic surgery, including aneurysm repair.
Many of these can now be done through small incisions or via a catheter rather than open surgery, which shortens recovery considerably. Sanitas does not cover heart valves replaced or repaired through a catheter, so ask us before you rely on that route. Whether that is an option depends on your specific case, and it is a question worth asking directly.
Waiting periods, and the important exception
Planned heart surgery carries the 10-month waiting period, as all surgery needing a hospital bed does.
A heart attack is an emergency and is covered from day one. No waiting period applies, whether your policy started ten years ago or last week. Emergency angioplasty, stents placed urgently, emergency surgery – all covered immediately.
The distinction is between something planned and something happening now. If you are having chest pain, that is 112, not an appointment.
See every Sanitas waiting period in one place, including how switching from another insurer waives nearly all of them.
Where the cardiovascular surgeons are
83 clinics across 24 provinces, with 133 named specialists between them – and you reach them through a cardiologist rather than booking directly.
- Madrid – 13 clinics, 26 surgeons
- Malaga – 13 clinics, 13 surgeons
- Barcelona – 8 clinics, 23 surgeons
- Tenerife – 5 clinics, 6 surgeons
- Cordoba – 5 clinics, 5 surgeons
Only 24 provinces have one, and that is normal – heart surgery belongs in large centres that do it often. Volume genuinely correlates with outcome in this specialty, so a busy unit further away beats a quiet one nearby.
Language at the appointment
For an operation of this magnitude, do not compromise on understanding the conversation. Ask us and we will check who is near you and what languages they work in.
What you pay
Nothing on a no-co-payment plan once the waiting period has passed, or immediately in an emergency. A fixed amount per appointment on a co-payment plan; the covered surgery is paid in full.
Find a cardiovascular surgeon near you
Browse cardiovascular surgeons in the Sanitas directory – by province, with addresses, phone numbers and a map.
