Now, a warning has been issued over the validity of the European Health Insurance Card - EHICs.
It appears that in the wake of Brexit, EHICs are being phased out and replaced with a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which also entitles Britons to the same rates for medical treatment as local citizens of the EU country they are visiting.
According to MoneySavingExpert, the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is being phased out following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union.
In its place you can now get the similar, free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).
You can still use an EHIC for now, but if you’ve not got one, you’ll normally need to apply for a GHIC.
Both cards get free or discounted medical care in all EU countries and Switzerland.
The GHIC and the EHIC are both free and do essentially the same thing.
If you are a UK national living in the UK, they entitle the holder to the same medical treatment as a local citizen at state-run hospitals and GPs in any European Union country and Switzerland – extremely useful in emergencies.
That means if a local citizen gets free medical treatment then you do too – but if they pay, you pay the same rates. As this is a reciprocal agreement, it also means EU citizens can use the NHS in the same way.
Prior to January 1, 2021 you were also covered with an EHIC in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
This is no longer the case and Switzerland is now the only country outside the EU to accept cards held by UK citizens (who live in the UK).
It is also worth noting a GHIC or EHIC does not cover you if you are going abroad specifically to get treatment – see the NHS website for more info.
You can apply for a free GHIC via the official NHS website – the Government says it’s currently taking up to 15 working days from the point of approval to receive a new card, so give enough time before your trip.
If you do not have your card for when you travel, but need treatment while away, you can apply for a ‘provisional replacement certificate’.
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Damn, another spelling mistake !
This is old news. Got my GHIC ages ago. In fact its only got 2 years before its due to be replaced
Richard PearsonYeah. Take for example, Trump. He could actually get re-elected, just for being a loudmouthed fear mongering liar 😳 Apparently, it works for tabloids, too.
Richard PearsonWhat are you on about now? What’s that got to do with this? And by the way my name is Sara, not Sarah. Not only is the spelling different, so is the pronunciation.
Sarah, never forget that the U.S. Congressman who thought that the island of Guam might tip over if the Navy moved more personnel there, was re-elected the following year.
Richard PearsonAndrew Ede’s interesting articles are more factually correct and much better written so there’s often not a lot to comment about them. There’s no need to insult our intelligence by suggesting that we don’t understand them. The editor and his deputy write a lot of imaginary and erroneous articles often with spelling and grammatical errors which of course prompt people to comment. Maybe that’s their intention. As Morgan suggests, pure clickbait and we all fall for it!
Morgan, whichever one it is, it’s certainly working. I sometimes wonder why some of, for example, Mr Ede’s articles, don’t arouse the same sort of attention and feedback. Could it be because nobody reads them, let alone understands them ?
Marvin Le MartianYou missed the daily, brown nosing 'sir' richard branson story
NilocSeems so and to annoy just about everyone else too. Give it a rest MDB. Where’s a good Superyacht story when you need one? Or a D list celebrity cousin in a bikini or wannabe hunk posing in his budgies. Dull days.
NilocI haven't quite figured out whether the motivation is; A) Tabloid-style "fury and outrage" clickbait/sensationalism B) Feeling important since everybody is "out to get you". C) Revenge: Wanting to scare off Brits to "impoverish" Spain for treating Brits so badly.(despite all evidence to the contrary), because well, Spain is desperate for British money (isn't everybody? Again, despite all evidence to the contrary). D) Clickbait.