Thousands of people across Spain, including in Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, are protesting against the privatization of their public healthcare system, citing long waiting times for appointments, with some specialists requiring a year-long wait for ultrasounds. Activists like Rosa Pérez in Madrid's Vallecas district fear a gradual handover of public hospitals to private entities, leading to a focus on profit over patient care. Health economist Rosa Urbanos from Complutense University acknowledges concerns, noting that payment-per-treatment models incentivize excessive procedures, while lump-sum payments can lead to reduced patient spending. A recent incident where a hospital manager prioritized cost-effective measures over necessary procedures prompted the Ministry of Health to propose legislation to limit privatizations. Despite these trends, only a small number of public hospitals are privately managed, with five out of 35 in Madrid operated by private companies, including Quirónsalud, a subsidiary of Germany's Fresenius Group.