An injury while skiing or a visit to the hospital with a severe cold – a trip abroad may not necessarily be full of pleasant moments and memories. And although Poles are increasingly willing to buy appropriate insurance, it is also worth taking care of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in advance. This document may be necessary when traveling around Europe.
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The mentioned EHIC card entitles you to use public health care in most EU countries and several other countries. The card is issued free of charge to persons insured in Poland.
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As we read on the government website, the EHIC confirms the right to emergency treatment while abroad. Thanks to it, you can avoid high medical costs in the event of illness or accident. However, it is worth remembering that the card does not cover all services and does not always guarantee full free medical services.
Are you going abroad? Remember about your EHIC, because you may have to pay dearly for treatment
The EHIC card confirms that we have the right to treatment during tourist or professional trips to most European countries. These are:
- European Union countries
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Great Britain.
In addition, the card is also valid in overseas territories:
- French: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, St. Pierre-et-Miquelon and French Guiana
- Portuguese: Azores and Madeira
- Spanish: Majorca and Canary Islands.
However EHIC is not valid: :
- in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
- in Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican.
The EHIC is issued for various periods – from 42 days to 20 years, depending on the insurance status. Details can be found at patient.gov.pl.
The EHIC is not perfect. It's worth knowing the exceptions
The card application can be submitted online via IKP, MojeIKP, ePUAP, in person at a NFZ branch or by post. It is worth remembering that the EHIC is not a card for the entire family. Each member receives their own card, including children. The EHIC is only valid with the child's or parent's ID.
With an EHIC card, treatment is carried out on the same terms as for citizens of a given country. If your country has a co-payment, you will also pay part of the cost.
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As explained on the government website, treatment is most often settled between institutions (NFZ and its equivalent in a given country). It may also happen that – even though you have an EHIC – you will first have to pay for the treatment and only after returning to Poland you apply for a refund.
It is also recommended to check in advance whether a given doctor accepts the EHIC card. Similarly to Poland, not all doctors abroad have contracts with insurance companies.
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It is worth remembering that different situations requiring treatment are settled differently. As the government website notes, if a tooth suddenly hurts, the dentist will help, but only to the extent applicable in a given country (e.g. cheaper filling). If we break a leg, have a stroke, get seriously poisoned or someone has a heart attack, the EHIC will cover the costs of treatment.
However, the EHIC does not cover the costs of returning to the country in connection with a sudden illness. However, when treatment under the EHIC will have to be long and expensive, and transport to Poland will be cheaper, you can submit an application to cover the costs of transport to the place of further treatment in the country.
In many EHIC countries, such as Austria, the EHIC does not cover assistance provided by mountain rescuers after ski accidents. This is considered a private benefit. Then you have to pay for rescuers to take you off the slope and take care of you.
