E111/EHIC

  • Thread starter In D Pendent
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In D Pendent

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Can I ask the experienced travellers among you whether getting and carrying the (old) E111 when travelling abroad is absolutely necessary?
Also, has anyone experience yet of obtaining the European Health Insurance Card which has replaced the E111 since June 1st? I'm leaving on Friday (last minute decision.) Will it be issued in time?
 
I ordered the new EHIC on-line recently & I received it 10 days later in the post.
 
E111

Is there any reason to get one of these Eurohealth cards if you have travel health insurance?
 
See here for details of the cover provided.

We have had to use our VHI cover whilst abroad on 2 occasions and could not fault their VHI Assist service. Once we contacted them from the hospitals they took over the handling of the claim and we did not have any further stress/problems.

Some years ago a friend was on holidays in France and his son became very ill and had to be taken by ambulance to hospital. Their E111 form (which was in operation at that time) covered them for everything.

IMHO as it can be classed as extra cover and is free it would be best to avail of it and keep all options open.
 
EE

Thanks Sueellen, My problem is that my wife and kids don;t have PPS numbers and I don't think there's time to get them AND apply for the cards before we go. I could scramble to do it and do some begging but we have full travel insurance so I can't see that there is any point.
 
E111

As far as I know all kids are all automatically issued with PPS nos. I rang my local social welfare office a few weeks ago and they told me my kids numbers over the phone. My pps number is the same as my husbands with a "w" tagged on the end.
 
Re: E111

The difference with the EHIC (as I understand it) relates to presentation in A&E and not admission to hospital.

Imagine you are French and present in A&E in Dublin with a broken arm. With the EHIC you get treated the same as any Irish person and have to pay €20 or whatever the attendance charge is. With travel insurance you are treated as a non-national and non-contributor to PRSI and have to pay a higher amount which you *subsequently* claim back from your insurance if they don't have an excess and if you get around to filling in the paperwork and if you happen to have the cash handy when you go to A&E in the first place.

If you have an EHIC and are run over and have to stay in hospital for a few days you won't be covered for anything other than the A&E element.

I don't think there is *any* downside to having an EHIC and their website specifically has a section for people who have left it till the last mintue before thinking of applying.

z
 
Re: E111

> If you have an EHIC and are run over and have to stay in hospital for a few days you won't be covered for anything other than the A&E element.

I don't think that's true. E111/EHIC entitles the bearer to the same public health treatment as any other citizen of the host country.


www.ehic.ie

If the hypothethical case above happened in Ireland one would be admitted as an emergency public patient and would face no charges other than perhaps daily accommodation charges up to some limit.



In other countries the details may vary but the gist is that you are treated under the public health system. Any charges that apply may be covered by one's private travel insurance (above the relevant excess).
 
E111

E111 and EHIC both relate to emergency care in the country you are temporarily residing in. this is provided free of charge to you, and the bill is simply posted back to the Dept of health here in ireland, so the public system here in ireland ends up paying for treatment abroad that is probably far superior to what you would receive if in ireland! Quite ironic really.

And to answer an earlier question - no-it is not absolutely necessary that you are carrying the card, or form. The hospital should still accept you and give you treatment, but you mgiht have more trouble convincing the doctor that you are covered.

And a PPS number should be issued to evry child. How do you get their child benefit if they dont have a PPS number?
 
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