Thousands protest Spain's health care austerity Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 7:57 a.m., Sunday, December 9, 2012 MADRID (AP) — Thousands of Spanish medical workers and residents angered by budget cuts and plans to partly privatize the cherished national health service marched through some of Madrid's most famous squares on Sunday. Madrid's government, under regional president Ignacio Gonzalez, maintains cuts are needed to secure health services during a deep recession. Health care and education are administered by Spain's 17 semi-autonomous regions, rather than the central government, and each sets its own budgets and spending plans.