European Health Card (E111)
Penny Crayon
Posts: 36,158 Forum Member
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I'm going away on the second September. I've only just realised my cards have expired (some time ago) - I thought they were open ended.
I will be applying online but doubt that the cards will be through. I'm assuming I'll still be covered.
I honestly didn't realise they had an expiry date, Does anyone know?
I will be applying online but doubt that the cards will be through. I'm assuming I'll still be covered.
I honestly didn't realise they had an expiry date, Does anyone know?
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Comments
From the NHS website
So you are covered
Yes, exactly. You'll invariably have to go private if you need treatment abroad. We don't bother with the cards at all.
I agree about the travel insurance by the way. Take both and then you've done all you can.
Thats not true at all . I used my card in Europe and availed of a local public clinic . I was well treated and sorted . And most insurance wont cover pre existing conditions or slap a huge extra fee on for it . If my daughter travels to EU countries she always has a EU. Card for her pre existing condition
Most travel insurance policies state that in the event of requiring medical attention in a country where we have reciprocal healthcare agreements (i.e. where a EHIC is of use), in the first instance you use the same health service that is available to the locals. For this, an EHIC (E111 replacement) is required.
Friends went to Spain. She was ill and required medical treatment. As she did not have an EHIC card, the Spanish equivalent of the NHS would not touch her - she had to go private. This cost just over £11,000. Her insurers refused to payout anything as her treatment was available non-privately and as she did not have an EHIC card, it was her problem.
Yes, it could but the EHIC is an EU-wide scheme and, in the main, EU residents don't need to carry passports in order to travel within the area, so a wallet-friendly card is a sensible option.
It is computerised of course but presentation of a card indicating eligibility eliminates the need for the healthcare provider to check, with all of the data-protection issues which this might present.
N.B. Passports details are computerised too but UK residents are still expected to carry them when travelling abroad. Biometric passports increase security significantly but permitting immigration officers around the world to directly access UK Passport Office data would be fraught with potential complications.
You're assuming every UK resident entitled to NHS treatment has a UK passport when travelling abroad.
That's not the case.
I think it's also the case that not everyone with a UK passport (ex-pats for example) is entitled to free NHS healthcare.
Fair enough. We don't have any pre-existing conditions and we would prefer to pay for private care anyway, so we'll still not bother.
Be careful your private care does not insist you use a EHC first and foremost . Some of them ask you to use it if you are entitled to free health care
Not always possible though. Try getting treatment on a Greek island and you will find it a hell of a lot easier to go private.
Good to know - thanks! I think we need to look into this a bit more...
This is true, I applied online on a Monday evening and it was in my letterbox Friday , I was quite surprised myself with the speed of it.
It is indeed not always possible, however in this case the insurer will almost certainly require you do go down the EHIC route/local treatment route first, then give you permission to go private when it is clear such treatment is not readily available.
My daughter got an infected nappy rash many years back. Contacted our insurer who told us to take her to the local medical centre, where they could do nothing much. Insurer then arranged for us to go private with a pediatrician who was able to sort the problem quickly, and the insurance picked up the bill (only about £70). When claiming, the form clearly stated that private medical expenses would not be paid unless we had sought local medical assistance first via the EHIC route.
Sorry I sort of hit and run there.
I have applied to renew online - they say it could be seven to ten days - hopefully it'll arrive before we leave - if all else fails I have my pld card and they should be able to track from that.
Hopefully we won't need to use it - never have before but - better safe than sorry.
This is so that they can reclaim a portion of their costs from the EHIC system if you are unfortunate enough to require private medical treatment while travelling.