GHIC usage advice

eskbanker

Ganga said:

My cousin had a fall in France ,went to the local hospital where they took all the details of his EHIC card ,paid about 30 euros up front for the A & E dept, when they got home a bill for about 300 euros dropped on their doorstep ,was told to either pay the bill and claim the money back from the government or send them a letter and tell them that they accepted the card so not paying.

It's not clear to me who's doing the telling here?  In terms of relevance to this thread, which option was chosen and what was the outcome?

katejo

eskbanker said:

Ganga said:

My cousin had a fall in France ,went to the local hospital where they took all the details of his EHIC card ,paid about 30 euros up front for the A & E dept, when they got home a bill for about 300 euros dropped on their doorstep ,was told to either pay the bill and claim the money back from the government or send them a letter and tell them that they accepted the card so not paying.

It's not clear to me who's doing the telling here?  In terms of relevance to this thread, which option was chosen and what was the outcome?

I wanted to ask the same question! I somehow suspect that a refusal to pay the 300 Euros would be accepted.

Archergirl

pollymarief said:

Hi I'm the mum in the original post to this thread. Thanks for all the replies. It's very confusing in Paris (any bureaucratic issue is) but I just wondered if there is anyone on here who has actually used the GHIC card & found it worked properly when visiting Paris? I have read that sometimes public hospitals charge 20% or sometimes cover the entire bill except for the daily charge that French residents also have to pay. But I cannot get a definitive answer from my online research as to whether they accept the card, if someone is admitted for emergency care or whether they expect the person to pay upfront & claim back later. Perhaps I will have to go & talk to CPAM (Caisse Primaire D'assurance Maladie)in the area I usually visit to ask about it since people in france keep mentioning this organisation.

You are not clear weather repatriation could be needed (and you can never tell if it will be, accidents happen), if so the EHIC won't cover that so travel ins will be needed. You should have travel ins whenever you go abroad and they will cover the cost of all treatment.
Can I ask why you seem determined to only use the EHIC card? 

Pollycat

pollymarief said:

Hi I'm the mum in the original post to this thread. Thanks for all the replies. It's very confusing in Paris (any bureaucratic issue is) but I just wondered if there is anyone on here who has actually used the GHIC card & found it worked properly when visiting Paris? I have read that sometimes public hospitals charge 20% or sometimes cover the entire bill except for the daily charge that French residents also have to pay. But I cannot get a definitive answer from my online research as to whether they accept the card, if someone is admitted for emergency care or whether they expect the person to pay upfront & claim back later. Perhaps I will have to go & talk to CPAM (Caisse Primaire D'assurance Maladie)in the area I usually visit to ask about it since people in france keep mentioning this organisation.

Where have you read this?

This is what GOV.UK says about medical treatment abroad in general:
Foreign travel insurance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• within Europe, some insurers may waive any excess on medical treatment if you use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Check the terms of your policy or contact your insurer to see if this is the case. EHIC and GHIC allow you to access state-provided medically necessary healthcare within the EU and Switzerland on the same terms as residents of these countries. Note that EHIC and GHIC are not alternatives to travel insurance as they do not cover any private medical healthcare costs, repatriation or additional costs such as mountain rescue in ski resorts. Find out more about the EHIC and GHIC, including how to apply for one free of charge

and this specifically for France:
Health - France travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Health insurance cards

Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC, it will still be valid as long as it remains in date.

The GHIC or EHIC entitles you to state-provided medical treatment necessary during your trip. Any treatment provided is on the same terms as French nationals. If you do not have your EHIC with you or you’ve lost it, contact the NHS Overseas Healthcare Team.

It’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance for your needs. A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and you should have both before you travel. An EHIC or GHIC does not cover all health-related costs, for example, medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment and non-urgent treatment. Read more about what your travel insurance should cover.

EHIC and GHIC cover state healthcare only, not private treatment. You will be responsible for the cost of any treatment provided by a private doctor or private clinic.

so what is this 20% that you mention?

Ganga

eskbanker said:

Ganga said:

My cousin had a fall in France ,went to the local hospital where they took all the details of his EHIC card ,paid about 30 euros up front for the A & E dept, when they got home a bill for about 300 euros dropped on their doorstep ,was told to either pay the bill and claim the money back from the government or send them a letter and tell them that they accepted the card so not paying.

It's not clear to me who's doing the telling here?  In terms of relevance to this thread, which option was chosen and what was the outcome?

Sorry they phoned the GHIC dept and they told them to either 
a) pay the bill and claim the money back from G  HIC ( Gov Dept )
b) Get a temp GHIC card and send it to the hospital with instructions for them to claim the money from the Gov dept.
c) write a long letter in english using big and obscure words telling them that as they accepted the card at the time and due to the reciprocal agreement they were not liable for the bill ,i think this is what they did.