European Health Insurance Card

Free or reduced cost treatment

In 2006 the E111 form was phased out and is no longer valid! The new, free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC card) is a much better alternative.

Either

Apply online www.ehic.org.uk - NHS Prescription Pricing Authority
or

Call: 0845 606 2030
or
Visit your local Post Office
or

Online - 7 days
Phone - 10 days
Post Office- 21 days

Also called the EU Medical Card, over 8 million people in the UK have already received the new EHIC card - it looks just like a small plastic ID card and gives details such as your name, date of birth and National Insurance number.

The card lasts for 3-5 years and entitles you to receive free or reduced-cost emergency healthcare when visiting European Economic Area (EEA) countries.

But there have been thousands of complaints about errors in the card - spelling mistakes in the surname ('Cool' instead of 'Cook', for example, or '1935' instead of '1985' in the date of birth).

The problem stems from the scanning system used to interpret handwritten application forms. If you have lousy handwriting, or use a scratchy pen, chances are you could be issued with a duff card.

And that could cause major problems if you need to use your EHIC in a medical emergency abroad - you could be refused treatment if your card details don't match up with what's on your passport.

If your card details are wrong, return it immediately. Allow 7 days for the new one to arrive, this is the stated time and our experience was the same. If you apply at the Post Office you can expect to wait longer - 3 weeks. By telephone 10 days.

The new EHIC will be automatically issued to everyone who applies for the new E111 form - your passport to free or reduced emergency health care in countries with reciprocal health agreements with the UK (European Union countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and who ticks the box to receive the new card.

If you or any of your dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during your visit to any of these countries, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available - in most cases on production of a valid EU Health Insurance Card.

Only state-provided treatment is covered, and you'll receive treatment on the same terms as 'insured' residents of the country you're visiting.

Private treatment isn't generally covered, and state-provided treatment may not cover all of the things that you'd expect to receive free of charge from the NHS.

Details on who is covered - remember, not all UK residents are eligible - is available through the following link.

• Getting treatment in EEA countries and Switzerland: Form E111

Remember, remember

The EHIC Card form is NOT a substitute for comprehensive travel health insurance.

If you and your family are involved in a car crash in France, say, it won't cover you for repatriation (return) to your place of departure ie home, for treatment at a local hospital.

Only comprehensive travel health insurance cover, which you'll have to take out privately, would cover you for that.

Or for returning your remains (gulp) if the worst should come to the worst.

Someone, somewhere will have to cough up for returning your earthly remains back home...

Exclusions

The reciprocal health arrangements don't apply to you if you're a Swiss national resident in the UK and going to Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway - or if you're a national of one of these countries resident in the UK going to Switzerland.

Nationals of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia resident in the UK and going to Switzerland aren't covered at present.

Form EHIC isn't valid outside the EEA or Switzerland.

The EHIC arrangements apply to stateless persons and refugees resident in the UK.

They now also generally apply to Non-EEA nationals lawfully resident in the UK.

They DO NOT apply to Non-EEA nationals for visits to Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland: country-by-country checklist and private insurance should be obtained.

Non-EEA nationals visiting Iceland are covered for emergency treatment only under a reciprocal health care agreement between the UK and Iceland. You'll need to produce your NHS medical card to get treatment.

British Citizenship

Address any enquiries about British citizenship to:

If you're working in the UK, but paying social security contributions to another EEA country or Switzerland, you should get your EHIC from the institution to which you pay your contributions.

Not all UK residents are covered in Denmark, Iceland, Leichtenstein, Norway or Switzerland - the leaflet 'Health Advice for Travellers' gives more information and is available from Post Offices or the Department of Health website via the link left.

But you'll only need to complete a single application form to get E111s for you, your spouse/partner and dependent children.

The new EHIC is very convenient and ideal for short stays such as breaks and holidays, but also all other forms used for temporary stays, such as those currently used by employees posted to another country and students studying abroad as part of a UK course.