Free EHIC Discussion

GeoNeil

Vikki_74 wrote: »

I've just got a new EHIC card in my married name, but my passport (which is the only form of photo ID I have) is still in my maiden name and I'm not planning on replacing it any time soon.

Hopefully I won't need to use the card at all, but if something did happen, would I need to show ID at the hospital or wherever, or will they just accept it? Just wondering whether I need to take a copy of our marriage certificate away with me to be on the safe side, or am I worrying over nothing?

I know it's months down the line but I have to reply to this.

That new EHIC in your married name? It's invalid and you're not planning on making that card valid any time soon. No hospital in the Europe will accept it because the details on your card no longer match what's on your passport. Don't change the details on your EHIC card unless you are changing the details in your passport.

You have 2 options though:

1. Change the card back to whichever name is in your passport either over the phone or online for free.
2. Change the name in your passport to the name on your EHIC card for a charge.

youth_leader

I've just returned to the UK from Portugal where my husband became ill on his golfing holiday - he hadn't renewed his EHIC card and didn't have it with him and I got the awful 'call' saying he'd been hospitalised with a heart problem and had to find out who to contact and ask for a 'provisional' copy to be faxed to Faro District General Hospital. When he was released on Monday we went to the hospital pharmacy who asked for the card .. no card and you have to pay. One set of tablets was 100 euros - luckily we can reclaim as he was insured.

I cannot understand why the card cannot be lifetime?

chirpchirp

Damn, I got scammed. I paid for mine about 4 weeks ago, it arrived and I thought it should have been free but I was rushing for a flight when I realised it had run out. I thought I had better order one whilst I remembered ready for next time and thought I was ordering from an official site.

bbrunoc

Last month I had to visit a hospital in Boulogne after falling off my Bike. They readily accepted my EHic card and gave my sprained ankle an X-ray. I caught a taxi back to the hotel.
The next day I picked up some crutches a splint and paracetamol from a pharmacy which cost me €50.
I have just received an invoice for €107 from the hospital. I took it to a bank in England and they told me they couldn't help me pay it as it is in €! The EHIC help number told me to somehow pay it and submit a claim to them which should take 90 days to process. I have just phoned the hospital. (good job I speak French) and they accepted my credit card over the phone. Perhaps it is a good idea to take out health cover to iron out this hassle.

Pollycat

bbrunoc wrote: »

Last month I had to visit a hospital in Boulogne after falling off my Bike. They readily accepted my EHic card and gave my sprained ankle an X-ray. I caught a taxi back to the hotel.
The next day I picked up some crutches a splint and paracetamol from a pharmacy which cost me €50.
I have just received an invoice for €107 from the hospital. I took it to a bank in England and they told me they couldn't help me pay it as it is in €! The EHIC help number told me to somehow pay it and submit a claim to them which should take 90 days to process. I have just phoned the hospital. (good job I speak French) and they accepted my credit card over the phone. Perhaps it is a good idea to take out health cover to iron out this hassle.

You are confused about what the EHIC does.
It is not an alternative to travel insurance.

roddydogs

Its not made clear that you have to keep renewing the card, I didnt know this either.

Pollycat

roddydogs wrote: »

Its not made clear that you have to keep renewing the card, I didnt know this either.

There is an expiry date on the card.

penedawn

dzug1 wrote: »

If he is resident here, he should get the card here.

By and large, nationality is irrelevant.

Yes, from what I can gather if you are a UK citizen but reside in Europe you 'should' not be using an EHIC card, so it would seem that if he lives in the UK then he is entitled to have a card from here. However I would suggest getting one and then check it out in France if you are there so you can cover any options.

penedawn

Specialists and gp's have little idea of what an ehic covers you for and if you look at the list of what travel insurance companies say they cover you for you will find that actually most of us have things we need to declare. Problem is that they can access your medical records and if that broken toe wasn't declared because it was 4 months ago, be warned they will not pay out for any claim you make, under the heading that you did not tell them the full truth. It is not relevant that you are claiming for a broken wrist and they may well cover you if you have an ingrowing toe nail however the fact that you don't tell them is the problem so if you have any concerns then give them a ring.

TimXJR1300

I realised my card expired and so wanted to renew it.
I googled European Health card and at the top of the list was this site:

nhs-direct.org.uk/application.php

THIS SITE WANTS TO CHARGE so don't go there

Go Here:
ehic.org.uk/Internet/processMainApplicant.do

THIS IS FREE, you get a confirmation email with an advert at the bottom which takes you to yet another charging site!

What worries me though is that the first charging website was taking my name, address DOB, NI or Medical number over a standard HTTP connection and not a secure HTTPS one.

Is the charging site genuine or have I given my identity away?