European Health Insurance Cards
Shag! I think we both need to renew our European Health Insurance Cards. If you are going back and forth to France a fair deal or spending a lot of holidays there, you will definitely need to get one of these.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is a sort of plastic swipe card, and it makes it much easier for you to get medical care quickly and easily while in France. The card is evidence that you are part of a health insurance scheme back in Ireland or the UK.
A European Health Insurance Card (not mine but a Romanian example)
There is no fee for the card or for renewing it, so never ever use a dodgy looking website looking for payment for EHIC applications.
You can only apply for an EHIC from the Irish authorities if you are currently resident here.
Every individual member of your family/group will require their own card.
How to apply for an EHIC
If you are from Ireland, apply for an EHIC online at EHIC.ie (but try this link if the site is wobbly).
Or you can download the form, print it out, fill it in and return it to your local Health Office one month before you leave Ireland.
Either way, it’s all very straightforward and quick, and the card arrives in the post.
If you are from the UK, apply online at EHIC.org.uk.
Where the card works
The card covers you if you are an EU national and travelling or staying temporarily in France (or another state of the “European Economic Area” or EEA, which is a bit bigger than the EU, plus Switzerland).
Bear in mind that Andorra and Monaco aren’t in the EU or EEA, so they won’t accept your EHIC. If you’re popping into either of these principalities, you may need to get extra insurance for your stay.
What it covers
The EHIC entitles you to “necessary health care” if you become ill or have an accident during your stay.
“Necessary health care” is defined as “benefits granted with a view to preventing an insured person from being forced to return home to their home member state and enabling them to continue their temporary stay in another member state under safe medical conditions”.
In short:
- The EHIC covers an accident or illness
- It also covers treatment for pre-existing illness, chronic diseases and routine maternity care
- It doesn’t cover you for travelling to another EU country for a new pair of lips or tits
- It doesn’t cover treatment that could wait until you returned home (many types of dental treatment for example)
- It won’t cover any of the costs involved in transporting you back home in your wheelchair and splints as “excess baggage” on Ryanair
Where to get treatment and refunds
In France, the EHIC only entitles you to the state-funded healthcare scheme. So you will need to go to the nearest public system doctor or dentist (make sure they are “conventionné“) or other public treatment centre and present your card.
If using a hospital, make sure it’s an approved one – a public hospital and not a private clinic.
In all situations, flash your EHIC and make sure to hold onto any receipts, bills and other paperwork you’re given.
You must pay for treatment and then apply for a refund of part of the costs from the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance-Maladie (CPAM), the local Sickness Insurance Office.
French doctors, dentists, pharmacies
After treatment, get a signed statement of the treatment given (a feuille de soins). You can’t claim a refund without this.
You will be charged for the treatment, plus any prescribed medicines. These amounts should be shown on the feuille.
When getting prescribed medicines, the pharmacist will give you back the prescription – attach it to the feuille to claim a refund.
Send your refund application with the feuille and your EHIC to the nearest CPAM office while still in France. The refund will be sent to your home address within about two months, and may be subject to a bank charge.
Out-patient treatment
You must pay for out-patient treatment, then claim a partial refund from the local CPAM office while still in France.
Take your claim to the CPAM office, give them your details and hand over the claim with your receipts. When you are back in Ireland or the UK, you will receive an itemised list of your claim. A bank order will be posted to you. Again, all this can take a couple of months.
In-patient treatment
For in-patient hospital treatment, ask the doctor for a certificate (attestation).
The hospital should then send an avis d’admission – prise en charge (“Notice of Admission – Acceptance of Responsibility”) form to the local SPAM office along with your EHIC. If it doesn’t, you should send it yourself.
CPAM will pay about 75% of the cost directly to the hospital. You pay the balance. You must also pay a forfait journalier (fixed daily hospital charge). The 25% balance and the forfait journalier are non-refundable.
Renewing your EHIC
I’m not sure how long each EHIC is valid – oh hold on, the cards we got three years ago are actually valid until March 2011. Phew.
But your card isn’t renewed automatically – you have to apply to renew it. Again, it’s a free service.
In the case of Irish citizens, go to EHIC.ie, select the “Renew Current Card” option at the top of the screen, then enter the 10-digit identification number listed on your expired card.
Hot posts:
RSS - all posts