Back to the insurance thing- I lived in Spain on a tourist visa for 6 months and would have stayed longer if I didn't nearly get deported. I got private health insurance which is the same as it is in the USA- the company was called Sanitas. It costs 20,000 ptas every 3 months but they may have other types of coverage. You can also get travel insurance in the USA which will cover you in case of an emergency. I didn't have any trouble renting an apartment, and my boss hooked me up with a bank account.