EHIC help please - best countries

WallyBird

I want to go on holiday for a week with a friend, who has been diagnosed with cancer. She is currently fit and her doctor says there is no reason she should not be able to travel. However, we can't afford insurance, as it would be more than the cost of the holiday.

Please can anyone tell me which European countries offer similar health services to the UK, so she could travel with an EHIC card only?

We would like somewhere peaceful, by the sea, not too expensive. We are two women, in our 50s.

Thanks.
WB.

richardw

EHIC isn't insurance and doesn't include for things such as repatriation in an air ambulance to the UK.

It really depends if your friend wants to avoid a long stay in a non UK hospital or not, should an accident happen.

elsien

If either of you become ill for any other reason, can you afford
- additional accommodation and travel costs if you need treatment or if you need to get back to the UK
– Accommodation you have lost through being in hospital
– Repatriation to the UK
– Private hospitals if state ones are not available

I've been more cautious since a friend who was described as fit to travel by her consultant developed a DVT on the flight out. 3 weeks in hospital plus 2 weeks extra accommodation/food/travel expenses for her companion plus new flights home would have taken them both into debt without proper insurance.

WallyBird

Thanks for these replies. But this is not my decision. Please does anyone know the answer to my original question:

...which European countries offer similar health services to the UK, so she could travel with an EHIC card only?

Thank you very much.

WallyBird

Failing this, does could anyone recommend a company that can provide travel insurance for someone with cancer at a reasonable cost? (e.g. less than £100 for a week)?

Person is currently fit, e.g. can walk several miles, swim 40 lengths, doctor says no reason not to travel.

Thanks.

peachyprice

There's a country by county guide on te NHS website

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/countryguide/Pages/EEAcountries.aspx

There have been quite a lot of previous posts about people who need travel insurance for cancer

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=148185566

Alikay

I'd also be inclined to choose somewhere accessible by land plus ferry - i.e. Spanish mainland rather than the Canaries or Balearics. All the Spanish costas are pretty well used to dealing with poorly Brits too (usually the elderly ex-pats who live out there) so would probably be the best bet IMO if your friend was ill.

I'd warn against travelling without insurance, but if your friend is determined, it makes sense to minimise risk by choosing your destination carefully. Do not buy insurance without revealing any pre-existing conditions, as even if you make a totally unrelated-to-the -cancer claim (such as food-poisoning, for example), they will investigate your friend's medical history and refuse to pay up.

martindow

Alikay wrote: »

I'd also be inclined to choose somewhere accessible by land plus ferry - i.e. Spanish mainland rather than the Canaries or Balearics. All the Spanish costas are pretty well used to dealing with poorly Brits too (usually the elderly ex-pats who live out there) so would probably be the best bet IMO if your friend was ill.

I'd warn against travelling without insurance, but if your friend is determined, it makes sense to minimise risk by choosing your destination carefully. Do not buy insurance without revealing any pre-existing conditions, as even if you make a totally unrelated-to-the -cancer claim (such as food-poisoning, for example), they will investigate your friend's medical history and refuse to pay up.

I'd be wary of Spain as there have been reports of hospitals there refusing to accept EHIC cards for treatment.

Voyager2002

WallyBird wrote: »

I want to go on holiday for a week with a friend, who has been diagnosed with cancer. She is currently fit and her doctor says there is no reason she should not be able to travel. However, we can't afford insurance, as it would be more than the cost of the holiday.

Please can anyone tell me which European countries offer similar health services to the UK, so she could travel with an EHIC card only?

We would like somewhere peaceful, by the sea, not too expensive. We are two women, in our 50s.

Thanks.
WB.

I suggest you consider Switzerland. Not too good for the sea, but the lakes have beaches and offer views and ambience that feels like the seaside. And masses of peace and quiet (people in blocks of flats are not allowed to flush their toilets after ten at night) and more natural beauty than you would imagine possible.

Switzerland tends to follow rules and play everything strictly by the book, so if the EHIC is supposed to work then it will indeed be honoured (the opposite of Spain). The cost of living is generally high, but there is a wonderful site called Interhome that offers a vast selection of self-catering properties, some of which are very reasonably priced.

knightstyle

For similar reasons we have been to france several times without insurance. If you need emergency treatment it is free but you may have to pay the ambulance charges and in hospital a few € a day for food etc.
If you go to a doctor for non emergency you pay 22€ for the visit and you pay for the medicines at the pharmacy but you can claim up to 70% of this back.

ellay864

I've no idea what it's like as a country but Gibraltar is UK so that should pose no problems for health care