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Importance of up to date EHIC

According to a recent poll conducted by the Department of Health, although nearly three in five people claim to have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), 68% of those polled did not know when it expired. Indeed, by the end of March 2009, it is estimated that nearly 3.3 million EHIC cards have expired. Indeed, 50% of those questioned were not even aware that an EHIC had an expiry date.
GMTV Dr Hilary Jones, who is fronting the Department of Health awareness campaign, is quoted as saying “The last thing you want to be thinking about when you're on holiday is paying unnecessary medical bills, which could cost thousands of pounds.

"The EHIC card will give you peace of mind that you'll be looked after if something does go wrong - but only if it is in date." *

Paul Siddell, Overseas Healthcare Programme Manager at the Department of Health says: “This report highlights the value of checking all your important documents. If you find your EHIC is out-of-date it is very easy to renew online or over the phone. It can also be done up to six months in advance of expiry.”

So exactly what is the EHIC, why is it so important and what does it cover?

As from January 1st 2006 The EHIC replaced the E111. A free card to those who qualify, the intention of the EHIC is to provide ‘necessary’ medical cover for all E.U. Nationals travelling within the European Economic Area (EEA). Thus, people who are normally resident in the U.K. are entitled to a U.K. issued EHIC. However, this U.K. issued EHIC is not valid if you are going to live abroad.

To stress the importance of having a valid EHIC, the UK itself has notified all European member states that from 1 April 2008, their citizens will be expected to show an EHIC in order to access necessary hospital treatment without charge.

If overseas visitors are not able to do this, they will be liable for NHS charges. Any prescriptions issued will still be chargeable unless the patient is covered by one of the NHS exemptions.
Each member of a family over 16 is required to hold an EHIC card.

The EHIC is normally valid for three to five years and can be used to cover any necessary medical treatment due either to an accident or an illness within the European Economic Area. The card entitles the holder to state-provided medical treatment within the country they are visiting and the service provided will be the same as received by a person covered by the country’s ‘insured’ medical scheme.

The EHIC can also be used to receive treatment for pre-existing illness, chronic diseases and routine maternity care, but conditions do apply and the EHIC certainly does not cover persons who are visiting a country with the main intention of receiving medical treatment.

The EHIC entitles a visitor to ‘necessary’ healthcare but not necessarily the total cost of care. It is not the intention, for example, of the EHIC to provide treatment that could wait until a person returned home (most types of dental treatment, for example) nor to cover treatment that, when taking a trip or holiday, requires specialist medical surveillance, and in particular the employment of special techniques or equipment (dialysis for example).

It is important to remember that the EHIC does not cover, for example, repatriation, which can cost, for an air ambulance, from £5,000 upwards from central France , or the cost of a private ambulances or private treatment.

We strongly suggest you contact us and take our independent professional advice about appropriate travel insurance.

* Source BBC website 26/03/2009

To apply for an EHIC

www.ehic.org.uk

To renew an existing EHIC

www.ehic.org.uk or telephone 0845 606 2030

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