Free EHIC Discussion

Baldur

flashman_62 wrote: »

I Googled EHIC and clicked on the first link. I ended up paying £9.90 for each card for me and my daughter :mad:

The first few links (with different coloured background) on many Google searches are paid advertising links - the first 'normal' link takes you to the official NHS site.

expat_mike

Much has been said over UK resident holidaymakers falling ill within the EU but little if any is said about UK ex-pats and their EHIC cards.

As the article mentioned, these cards will be coming up for renewal soon and based on my experience of waiting months to get the original ones (yes I now have three so go figure), I would chase up the DWP months ahead of time.

However I noticed that some costs paid out in the EU for emergency treatment for UK resident people can be reclaimed on return to the UK. As of last May, for ex-pats it is the DWP that now issues EHIC cards not the country of residence.

Does this mean that a ex-pat resident in Spain who pays for some emergency costs whilst visiting say France can claim off the issuing country (UK) of the EHIC card ?

Living_proof

A lot of people cruising in British and EU waters seem to think their EHIC will cover them for all destinations, and on shore of course it will. However, if you are taken ill or suffer an accident aboard ship you may have to be airlifted off and this will cost thousands of pounds and will certainly not be covered by the EHIC. Nor will any medical treatment provided by the ship's Doctor and it is very easy to run up several hundreds of pounds' worth of this.

In short, a bad event could bankrupt someone not covered by conventional travel insurance and it is absolutely essential to declare all pre-existing conditions even if the insurance will be incredibly expensive.

DrPepper99

My card will expire in July, the webpage tells me I have to pay for a new card.... is that correct?

balletshoes

DrPepper99 wrote: »

My card will expire in July, the webpage tells me I have to pay for a new card.... is that correct?

which webpage? EHIC cards/losses/renewals are free if you use the correct official site/phone number -

https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do

jeanna_2

I made the same mistake on saturday.I thought I was on the official site and paid £9.99 for mine.So be careful of the site you use.Wish i'd saw this first.

dtaylor21184

No it's free don't pay for one

DrPepper99

Thanks a lot balletshoes!!!!
:T

just submitted my application for the new card, went through with no issue.... although I married in between and have a new sur name!

Thanks a lot again!
:T

lgerhardt

Whilst on holiday last year in Portugal I had an infection and required medication to treat this. However the local pharmacy said I needed to see a Doctor and referred me to the local hospital, where I had to pay for the consultation and prescribed medication. Why did my EHIC card not cover me?

Redqueen

I wonder if anyone on here can help me as this issues has been puzzling me for a while!

My partner is French. He lives with me here in the UK and is registered with our doctors and uses our services as a resident, which he has been now for almost 4 years.

His EHIC from France has expired, and he has never needed to use it anyway as he is resident here.

My questions are as follows:

When we visit his family in France for holidays, does he need an EHIC if he requires treatment in France, the country of which he is a National but not a resident?

And

Which country should he apply to for a renewed EHIC, the UK where he is resident, or France of which he is the National?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!