EHIC Card refused in cyprus had to pay insurance excess :(

jus71_2

My son was on holiday in Cyprus recently and became very dehydrated. He went to the nearest hospital and was put on a drip for a short time. He told him he had the EHIC card but they said no he must give the insurance details instead. He then had to pay the £250 excess. Can hospitals refuse to take them?

Also, Thomas Cook told him the apartment was overbooked so they were moved to another one where aircon was chargeable. They were promised compensation in resort but the rep said no, he still enjoyed his trip though!

tomtontom

The EHIC is not valid in all parts of Cyprus, plus it won't be of any use in a private hospital. Had he checked beforehand that it was accepted?

Re Thomas Cook he should contact customer services. Does he have a receipt for the extra cost?

C_Mababejive

Did he go to a state medical facility or a private one? In foreign countries especially in Spain ,,its hard to tell the difference and there is no shortage of private clinics all too willing to pick you up/treat you/over inflate the treatment and rip off the insurance. Pity the NHS are not so efficient at charging foreigners.

https://fullfact.org/health/costs_health_tourism-37227

jus71_2

yes he was taken by ambulance to a private hospital, so would explain why the refused the card. Also with thomas cook they didnt want to pay over 100 euros for the aircon so went without

mgdavid

jus71 wrote: »

My son was on holiday in Cyprus .....

Which bit, Northern (Turkish) or Southern (Greek)?

InsideInsurance

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

Always read the NHS guide on other european countries before going as things work differently to than in the UK.

In some countries the state will cover private treatment but you have to pay first and then reclaim it from the state and as a EHIC holder you have to do the same.

In Cyprus this isnt the case and so if you went to a private hospital then you're on the hook for the bill, just the same as if you decided to go to a private hospital in the UK (though here they dont tend to have A&E or Urgent Care facilities)

jus71_2

He was in ayia nappa is that more southern than northern? He spoke to his rep who sorted out an ambulance, as far as he was concerned he was just going to the local state one. He asked how much to pay the bill and they said 1,400 euros!

dawyldthing

I bet the rep got commission off the ambulance company. €1400 for a drip is horrendous, especially if he didnt stay in overnight.

stephb34

Did he know his excess was £250 on his policy or did he find this out when the hospital pointed it out?

christaitfife

Many hotels and resorts have 'contracts' with private ambulance companies and/ or hospitals. Yes they actually get paid to refer people! So unless your son specifically asked to go to a hospital where his EHIC or insurance would be accepted they would send him to what was beneficial for the hotel. In some resorts taxi drivers can even get commission for taking holiday makers to private medical facilities. This happens with a huge percentage of hotels and resorts throughout the world.

So - if you ever need to go to hospital and you are in an EU country you must ASK for the state run medical facility. When you arrive you must check too. If you are unsure call your travel company rep and ask where you should be going. If you are using your travel insurance you should check with your insurance company PRIOR to getting treatment that you are in a facility they will pay or re-reimburse for. I know that if you are feeling unwell it is the last thing you would want to think about - but it could save you a big bill.

It is really something everybody should be aware of - it would also be a good thing to put into the email too.

And, YES, hospitals can refuse to accept them. No private hospital will accept them. It is also not unusual for state hospitals to not understand or not accept them - but you can reclaim costs when you return to the UK.

Mands

dawyldthing wrote: »

€1400 for a drip is horrendous, especially if he didnt stay in overnight.

jus71 wrote: »

He asked how much to pay the bill and they said 1,400 euros!

As others have said, private hospital means that the EHIC is no use. It's implausible that the rep didn't know that.

That aside 1400€ for that amount of time is outrageous for Cyprus. I'd be asking the hospital for an itemised bill; which one was it?

To give some context I live in Cyprus and last summer took my husband to hospital when he was taken ill. I drove him there myself on a Sunday morning. He was seen immediately by the on call doctor who was concerned enough to want a second opinion. He called in a consultant cardiologist and a consultant neurologist. On a Sunday.

They admitted him and ordered a whole host of tests from blood tests, to CT scans to 24 hour heart monitoring.

When he was discharged the next day the neurologist had been back in to see him a further three times and the cardiologist had reviewed and summarised the tests done on the heart.

The total bill, including the private bed in a private ward, was less than 1400€.

If you can get hold of the itemised bill and want a sense of how reasonable it is I can look through my records for comparable data, the standard day rate for a room etc.

Mands