How does GHIC, the EHIC replacement EU travel insurance card, work?

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• Tony1 says:

  1 Aug1 August 08:22

  I do not think that the “old” card and the new card cover Andorra – but its a very quick 20 min dash to Spain and the Hospitals there – as we found out 10 years ago ( broken toe from falling in shower ) Hotel sympathetic and helped by providing a cup of lukewarm coffee for the trip ….

• Michael Jennings says:

  1 Aug1 August 08:24

  Although the GHIC is not valid in Norway, there is a reciprocal agreement in place with Norway – this existed before the existence of EHICs, and came back into force after Brexit. So you can get free emergency healthcare in Norway, but you have to show your passport rather than the GHIC.

  At least, in theory. A friend of mine was asked to show her GHIC anyway when this happened.

  • abc says:

    1 Aug1 August 12:12

    This only works for UK citizens, though (while all UK residents get the GHIC).

    • Michael Jennings says:

      1 Aug1 August 16:12

      Yes – fair point. It’s good to know if you are a British citizen though.

• SamG says:

  1 Aug1 August 08:38

  Only ever used it once in France for A&E when I randomly ended up with excruciating pain in my neck and shoulder. Though you have to pay for A&E there so I got a bill for ~€25 a little while later. Not sure if they billed the UK for the rest?!

  Interesting experience actually, not sure if they have an issue with anti social behaviour in Cherbourg but took a while on an intercom phone to persuade them to even let me in the building! But once I’d satisfied the “dragon” I was in fact actually unwell she warmed up, got me registered and a Dr very quickly decided I hadn’t catastrophically injured myself eating too many baguettes sent me off to a pharmacy with a prescription for some anti inflammatory tablets which did the trick. All in far better English than my French!

  • Rui N. says:

    1 Aug1 August 08:57

    Yes, they bill the UK for the rest. The UK is also supposed to bill EU countries when EU citizens use the NHS here, but apparently they don’t most of the time!

    • Dan says:

      1 Aug1 August 09:30

      Aparently, it costs more for the UK to bill them with red tape and paperwork so we don’t bother. Plus, you would need staff to do that which the NHS lacks.

      This was from my grumpy uncle so don’t take my word for it! But it sounds about right.

      • Londonsteve says:

        1 Aug1 August 10:23

        It’s a huge amount of money the UK is leaving on the table and has been doing so for a long time through ignorance/laziness/poor organisation. It typifies the UK’s whole approach to EU membership. Also I’d wager that most UK citizens living in the EU aren’t handing over their EHIC when they get treated in the UK during a visit back. There just isn’t a European-style arrangement within the NHS of individual treatment requiring the need to be charged back to something, even if that’s just to a government health insurance fund for the low paid and unemployed. The mere mention of the word ‘insurance’ in the UK raises howls of anguish and complaints about cost and warning of how 20% of the US is uninsured when it’s the European model they should be examining.

        • Michael Jennings says:

          1 Aug1 August 16:05

          An American friend spent a night in a public hospital in the UK when she was visiting me due to a pre-existing condition that became aggravated. The hospital sent her a bill when she was back in the US. Her insurer in the US asked for the bill to be itemised. She sent that request back to the British hospital. She never heard from them again.

  • Michael Jennings says:

    1 Aug1 August 16:10

    I went to A&E in a public hospital in Spain after getting bitten by a dog. I had an expired EHIC on my but not a current GHIC. I was treated, and sent a bill a month or so later. I called the relevant department of the NHS and they sent an e-mail to the hospital saying I was covered, and presumably payment was sent later. Everything was fine, anyway. I have had very good experiences of public healthcare in Spain.

• GREYGOOSE says:

  1 Aug1 August 08:48

  Rhys, your para re Provisional Replacement Cert. is missing a “not”

  • Rob says:

    1 Aug1 August 09:14

    Fixed, thank you.

• J says:

  1 Aug1 August 08:58

  I should be eligible for a new EHIC, as my wife is an EU citizen, but there doesn’t seem a way to get there on the application form. Anyone found a route to make this work?

• John says:

  1 Aug1 August 09:01

  “Fun fact: apply for a GHIC from a Northern Ireland address to unlock the secret option to remove the obnoxious flag on the front of it.”

  Can mainlanders get a naked card too?! One that looks slightly less like Grant Shapps doing a tv interview from his broom cupboard in Hatfield.

  • gerjomarty says:

    1 Aug1 August 09:32

    I tried with my address in England and they don’t even show you the option. I’m not sure if you can even get away with a N Irish friend’s house, as I think they technically ask for your own address, I’m afraid. Anecdata: I used my parents address (where I used to live) and it was instantly accepted.

  • RussellH says:

    1 Aug1 August 10:43

    I agree – but it could be worse – they might have put a photo of Grant Shapps doing a TV interview from his broom cupboard in Hatfield on the front of the card!
    Or a photo of the former MP for Uxbridge.
    🙂

• brian says:

  1 Aug1 August 09:02

  Had no idea I was entitled to an EHIC given my settled status. From my reading my son is only entitled to the GHIC. Will have to see if both can be requested in the same online application.

• Gavin says:

  1 Aug1 August 09:03

  I wish the new GHIC didn’t have a big stylised waving flag on the front. It’s unnecessary and tacky. The EHIC looks just right for something boring like an insurance card.

  • AlastairB says:

    1 Aug1 August 10:15

    I 99% sure they are re-printed EHIC stock that they had to cover up with colours that make it look different without letting the EHIC design show through.

  • Londonsteve says:

    1 Aug1 August 10:30

    Have you seen the livery commissioned by Boris Johnson on the government aircraft? Now that’s tacky. 70% of the food packaging these days seems to have a Union Flag on it, to be honest I’m sick of seeing it pasted everywhere. I have no problem seeing the flag on a town hall or on a ceremonial flag pole in a town square, I don’t however want to see it on my butter just because it’s made from British milk.

    • John says:

      1 Aug1 August 12:59

      Many countries print their flag on their food packaging if it’s made in that country.

      • Novelty-Socks says:

        1 Aug1 August 23:59

        Many of us still don’t want to see it though.

        • Iain says:

          2 Aug2 August 11:17

          More of us don’t care either way

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