TravelGeneral InformationThe European Health Insurance Card – a change for the better or is it? The European Health Insurance Card – a change for the better or is it?
By Alan Taylor - 16/09/2008
In a surprise move the Department of Health has changed the way it provides information about using the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). I say it is a surprise move because the Department of Health’s booklet “Health advice for travellers”, otherwise known as the T7 booklet, has been around for many years.
This compact and comprehensive booklet has been the travellers guide to healthcare in Europe and has been used by millions of people. Unfortunately, and unexpectedly, the Department of Health is withdrawing the booklet.
The T7 booklet has kept up with the increase in the number of EEA countries and changes to the rules over the years to provide important information about healthcare arrangements across Europe. It seems, however, that the Department of Health now considers it is sufficient to only provide full information on its website. If this is the reason for the change it does look to conflict with the requirement to provide accessible information about the EU rules to everyone.
The change affects the way you obtain the essential information which was previously in the T7 booklet and which you need to use your EHIC when you are on holiday. If you already have an EHIC this does not affect you because you should have the T7 booklet.
The booklet also included information about applying for an EHIC online, by phone or by post and provided information about the general rules for using the EHIC and an explanation of the healthcare arrangements in the other EEA countries. Without this information your chances of being treated under the EU rules in the state healthcare system in the other country are reduced and you may have had to pay for private medical treatment.
The current EHIC information pack with the T7 booklet will continue to be available from any post office until stocks at individual post offices are used up. The new information pack, which includes an application form and a single sheet leaflet “Access to healthcare abroad”, will be available from post offices which process passport applications. These are generally main post offices which operate the “Check and Send” passport service. You can find your nearest office on the Post Office website or by phoning the Post Office on 08457 22 33 44.
The new “Access to healthcare abroad” leaflet gives only very brief information about the EHIC and tells you that you can apply for an EHIC online at the Department of Health website ( linked below) or by phone to 0845 606 2030. The leaflet does not mention that you can still apply by post although there is an application form for a postal application in the pack.
The quickest way to obtain an EHIC is still to apply online. You can then download the information from the “Country-by-country guide” on the website which explains how to use your EHIC and provides information about the state healthcare arrangements in the country you will visit. This option has not changed. However, if you apply by phone or by post when you receive your EHIC you must download information from the Department of Health’s website about the state healthcare arrangements in the country you will visit and how you can access state healthcare there.
So, the T7 booklet has gone and you are on your own with or without a computer and printer and you are expected to download the information you need about using your EHIC. The Department of Health believes that the change should not cause problems because now everyone can access their website and download information ... wrong! Certainly, many people will not be bothered by the change but if you are one of the significant number of people who do not have a computer and printer, or you do not have access to these or you are simply not web wise, then you have a problem. Also, anyone with an old computer may not be able to download the information; this happens sometimes when someone changes to paperless billing.
The Department of Health has issued 27 million EHICs since it replaced the form E111 in January 2006 and at present 60% of applications are being made online. EHICs issued since January 2006 are valid for between 3 and 5 years. An EHIC can be renewed within six months of its expiry date so some EHICs can be renewed now. So now is a good time to check your EHIC and find out when it must be renewed. If your EHIC will have expired when you next go abroad you will not be able to use the state healthcare arrangements and you will have to pay for private treatment.
Having said all this what is the real consequence of the change? When you receive your EHIC if it is not possible for you to download information from the Department of Health’s website or get someone to do it for you, it looks inevitable that you will go on holiday and not know how to access state healthcare when you are away. If you go abroad without the necessary information you should try to find out when you are there how to use the EHIC.
This is an unusual situation because EU citizens need to know their rights as they move around Europe but the change means that the information needed may not now be available to everyone.
The cost of private medical treatment is not generally refunded. However, if you paid for private medical treatment when you were on holiday because under the new arrangements you could not obtain the information you needed to use the EHIC you may wish to contact the Department for Work and Pensions on 0191 218 1999. You should tell DWP why it was not possible for you to obtain the information about using the EHIC and whether or not you tried to find out how to use the EHIC when you were away. Explain that you had to pay for your private medical treatment which would have been provided free or at reduced cost if the information from the Department of Health had been accessible for you. In the circumstances it is reasonable to ask for a special ex gratia payment to reimburse you for the cost of medical treatment which resulted from the Department of Health only providing information on their website.
If you have a travel insurance policy that may cover the cost of private treatment but it will not cover the amount of the excess payment on your policy. A further complication is that some travel insurance companies require you to have and to use an EHIC. The reason for this is that if you have to pay for state medical treatment in the other country which may later be refunded the insurance company may refund the cost of your treatment to you. They would then claim the amount which is refundable from the Department for Work and Pensions, who act on behalf of the Department of Health in this situation.
If you did not manage to receive state medical treatment because you did not have the information you need this may possibly invalidate your insurance claim. You should speak with your travel insurance company about this.
The adage “If it works fix it” lives on.