The European Health Insurance Card,
commonly pronounced as EHIC is presented to the citizens of 28 nations of
Europe to receive medical care sponsored by the state in any member country. To
understand from a layman’s term, if you or someone in your family fell ill when
on a vacation to any of these nations, with this health care you will get
medical care, either with no cost or minimal bills. There are several nations
included under this scheme, these are: Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and
Liechtenstein, people are treated the same way.
To be eligible for the E111 health
card, you are required to be health covered by any state-sponsored medical care
scheme in any member nations of the European Union and two or three countries
other than them. One thing to note in here is that, each member of the family
should have a separate card. So, before you pack your bags, you have to apply
for this health card well in advance. The procedure to submit your form for
EHIC is quite simple; this will take five to ten minutes. You just have to
provide all the necessary stuff, this includes your personal and contact
details. In the United Kingdom, this health care card is issued by NHS. The
term of the card depends upon the country issuing it. So, you can either speak
to an official or representative for any sort of advice. Or if you still
doubtful about it, you can look for an agent, who has filed for the European
health card on your behalf.
The EHIC card has never been an
alternative to the travel cover card, it won’t include private health care or
other stuff such as the return flight or stolen or misplaced property. However,
this card doesn’t cover for your costs, if you are travelling to any of the EU
countries for the purpose of the medical care. Moreover, this won’t guarantee
free of cost treatment, this depends upon the country issuing the E111 health card.
If you don’t have the European
healthcare card, if you fell ill or get injured, you have to fly back to your
home immediately. This may prove to be a big hassle, if the health problem is
serious and require emergency care. So, it is brainier to get this card well in
advance before you book your flight ticket. When applying for it, make sure you
thoroughly read the form you are submitting. Or any information, you can look
for a third-party agent to take your job for getting this card. But, don’t fall
into the trap of the scam companies, those charge big fees.
At the end of it all, from the
above, you probably come to know what the European healthcare is all about,
right from its basic meaning, the procedure of filling the form, term of this
card and hiring a third-party agent. The process for the renewal of the
European card is quite simplified, just like filling a new application.
