Rich and poor retirees in Spain have the same health problems, despite income gaps

A new study finds that health inequality among Spanish retirees did not increase between 2004 and 2022. This means that even with income differences, poorer retirees are not getting sicker faster than richer ones.

For years, many assumed that as people age, income disparities would lead to widening health gaps. This paper suggests that Spain's universal healthcare and social safety nets might be buffering those effects. It means that the country's existing social protection systems are doing their job, at least when it comes to health outcomes for retirees.