EHIC replacement from 1.1.2021. Now called Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

The travel trade will soon be selling "comprehensive health insurance"
When I see comprehensive my hairs stand up on my neck, and reading glasses go on! I regret to say some with under complex health needs will inevitably face a challenge to find cover affordably if at all.
It all depends on what view various countries determine as comprehensive cover.
When the USA went for personal insurance cover, guess what the providers hiked fees
 
The Wino said:
Its easily sorted. On entry to the UK anyone entering must either show a heath insurance certificate (like we had to when visiting Cuba) or an EHIC or equivalent.
Trying to police repayment later otherwise is a waste of time
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that would be just like the emissions zones working on anpr for Uk cits & the rest have to know that they have to register.Why not everyone who turns up at A&E in the UK has to show ID & there UK national health number ? Then the foreigners are at least starting from a level playing field.
The Wino said:
I agree. The combination of both checking on entry and id cards for UK citizens would more or less eliminate the problem. It's probably because other countries have id cards that they manage it more effectively.
Click to expand...
Exactly. walk in A&E here & you have to show your medical card.
Jim said:
we always take that which I've always thought negates the use of the card.
Click to expand...
Most UK insurers require you to have an ehic so they pay out the least possible. Otherwise you either end up uninsured or they will reclaim from you the costs that would have been covered by the ehic
Jim said:
So if as i you always have travel insurance, what use the EHIC card? It really is no loss.
Click to expand...
As above. I.e. without one in France you would be liable for the 70% covered by the ehic.
I don't agree with how the UK government has allowed the insurance companies to offload on to gov.uk what the insurance companies were originally paying.
 
Jim said:
None I have had have had that requirement, and none will from next week.
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How long is it since you've been abroad Jim?
 
Rapido925M said:
Can you provide any evidence of these reciprocal health cover agreements please?

And if UK has been rubbish at collecting costs from our 27 neighbouring European countries what makes you think that we are going to suddenly, in the middle of a pandemic and vaccine roll-out, improve our systems to charge for all of these new arrangements with health-tourists coming from all over the globe?

Perhaps you think someone is developing a world-beating track, trace and charge system? :rolleyes:

Gordon
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Surely you are not suggesting we haven't got a world beating track and trace system, how dare you!
 
gus-lopez said:
that would be just like the emissions zones working on anpr for Uk cits & the rest have to know that they have to register.Why not everyone who turns up at A&E in the UK has to show ID & there UK national health number ? Then the foreigners are at least starting from a level playing field.

Exactly. walk in A&E here & you have to show your medical card.

Most UK insurers require you to have an ehic so they pay out the least possible. Otherwise you either end up uninsured or they will reclaim from you the costs that would have been covered by the ehic

As above. I.e. without one in France you would be liable for the 70% covered by the ehic.
I don't agree with how the UK government has allowed the insurance companies to offload on to gov.uk what the insurance companies were originally paying.
Click to expand...
The only issue with asking for an EHIC in A&E is we dont charge ANYONE for A&E attendances for for Primary Care and sexual Health services.
www.gov.uk

NHS entitlements: migrant health guide

Advice and guidance for healthcare practitioners on the health needs of migrant patients.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

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My wife used to be a receptionist in a doctors’ surgery, apparently the doctors said that they were not a debt collection agency and treated non residents for free.
whilst visiting our son in New Zealand, my wife had to visit a surgery and before they would even consider her, she had to pay for a health check before any sight of a doctor. Simple easy, why don’t we do it like that?
 
it is unclear the EHIC position for EU citizens with Dual Nationality (such as myself with UK/IRE) and IRE citizens resident in the UK as the EHIC card is issued by the country in which one is resident, not the country which you hold a passport for - i ran the wizard and it said it couldn't deal with me at the moment.
but as i have dual nationality, from what i read, I should be eligible for a UK EHIC post Jan 1st 21
 
The Wino said:
I think it's like Australia you don't have to be a convict anymore.
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Now,if you are a convict you are not allowed in. :rolleyes:
15isto2 said:
The only issue with asking for an EHIC in A&E is we dont charge ANYONE for A&E attendances for for Primary Care and sexual Health services.
www.gov.uk

NHS entitlements: migrant health guide

Advice and guidance for healthcare practitioners on the health needs of migrant patients.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
Click to expand...
And the same here but a requirement to produce card which is returned unless you are kept in.
 
Poursay said:
My wife used to be a receptionist in a doctors’ surgery, apparently the doctors said that they were not a debt collection agency and treated non residents for free.
whilst visiting our son in New Zealand, my wife had to visit a surgery and before they would even consider her, she had to pay for a health check before any sight of a doctor. Simple easy, why don’t we do it like that?
Click to expand...

Symptomatic (no pun intended) of any body that is funded by taxpayers; not my part of the ship syndrome! 🤷‍♂️

Ian

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Dorset Diver said:
I don't understand your point. That information is for the visitor not guidance for the health providers. In any event it makes it clear that the visitor must present their EHIC or risk being charged.
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My point is that there was a suggestion we should ask for an EHIC in A&E, a rather pointless move as A&E free for everyone, I posted a link the the NHS advice on this but it was pointed out that it was the advice for "migrants" and not "visitors", the advice I subsequently posted. Since you are interested in the advice to NHS staff and not visitors I will also link you to this as well. https://assets.publishing.service.g...2352/Main_Guidance_post_24_August_2020_V2.pdf
 
Good point about pre-existing conditions. I've never travelled with any so not given it a thought. Our travel insurance was always 12 month worldwide, multi trip and I'm pretty sure it didn't come with an EHIC requirement.

There always have been plenty of policys that include existing conditions, I recall it being arranged for someone I knew who had COPD (and was taking oxygen on a plane) but I imagine the policies will be loaded accordingly. Even when EHIC was an option, if you had a serious pre-existing condition with even the slightest chance of an ambulance repatriation then no insurance and relying only on EHIC is only for the really lucky.
 
15isto2 said:
My point is that there was a suggestion we should ask for an EHIC in A&E, a rather pointless move as A&E free for everyone, I posted a link the the NHS advice on this but it was pointed out that it was the advice for "migrants" and not "visitors", the advice I subsequently posted. Since you are interested in the advice to NHS staff and not visitors I will also link you to this as well. https://assets.publishing.service.g...2352/Main_Guidance_post_24_August_2020_V2.pdf
Click to expand...
A very big document but the important part is:

The following services are free at the point of use for all patients. A charge cannot be made or recovered from any overseas visitor for: • accident and emergency (A&E) services, this includes all A&E services provided at an NHS hospital, e.g. those provided at an accident & emergency department, walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or urgent care centre2.

This does not include those emergency services provided after the overseas visitor has been accepted as an inpatient, or at a follow-up outpatient appointment, for which charges must be levied.

The big problem with successive UK government and the NHS is their failure to recover these charges. Millions if not billions over the years. Imagine what the NHS could do with a big cash boost like that.
 
Jim said:
Good point about pre-existing conditions. I've never travelled with any so not given it a thought. Our travel insurance was always 12 month worldwide, multi trip and I'm pretty sure it didn't come with an EHIC requirement.

There always have been plenty of policys that include existing conditions, I recall it being arranged for someone I knew who had COPD (and was taking oxygen on a plane) but I imagine the policies will be loaded accordingly. Even when EHIC was an option, if you had a serious pre-existing condition with even the slightest chance of an ambulance repatriation then no insurance and relying only on EHIC is only for the really lucky.
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Jim I don't like giving personal info on any forum, but here is a bit. I'm nearly 74 and my wife is now 75 we both have pre-existing medical condition. At the end of last year (pre CV19) I was hunting for annual medical cover. Not one provider would provide it, not even the one from the previous year because of my wife have reached 75. Some would provide up to about 90 days but not cover pre-existing condition for either of us. All insisted that we had EHIC as it would cover our pre-existing ailments. Having it also ensured we could have the insurance and get repatriation covered. Don't get old its a bloody trap :xangry:.

PS I hope GHIC will work in the same respect in future.

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Dorset Diver said:
Jim I don't like giving personal info on any forum, but here is a bit. I'm nearly 74 and my wife is now 75 we both have pre-existing medical condition. At the end of last year (pre CV19) I was hunting for annual medical cover. Not one provider would provide it, not even the one from the previous year because of my wife have reached 75. Some would provide up to about 90 days but not cover pre-existing condition for either of us. All insisted that we had EHIC as it would cover our pre-existing ailments. Having it also ensured we could have the insurance and get repatriation covered. Don't get old its a bloody trap :xangry:.
Click to expand...


Yes like I said I hadn't thought of that angle, that was a real bonus of that card. Let's hope this Global Replacement is as good. If they can negotiate similar reciprocal cover as the EHIC for Europe, but include some other countries we may end up better off. But that is a May, and a who knows when.
 
Jim said:
Good point about pre-existing conditions. I've never travelled with any so not given it a thought. Our travel insurance was always 12 month worldwide, multi trip and I'm pretty sure it didn't come with an EHIC requirement.

There always have been plenty of policys that include existing conditions, I recall it being arranged for someone I knew who had COPD (and was taking oxygen on a plane) but I imagine the policies will be loaded accordingly. Even when EHIC was an option, if you had a serious pre-existing condition with even the slightest chance of an ambulance repatriation then no insurance and relying only on EHIC is only for the really lucky.
Click to expand...
Even when EHIC was an option, if you had a serious pre-existing condition with even the slightest chance of an ambulance repatriation then no insurance and relying only on EHIC is only for the really lucky.

Very true.
 
Jim said:
Yes like I said I hadn't thought of that angle, that was a real bonus of that card. Let's hope this Global Replacement is as good. If they can negotiate similar reciprocal cover as the EHIC for Europe, but include some other countries we may end up better off. But that is a May, and a who knows when.
Click to expand...
The GHIC will be fine. I Have read the important parts of the "deal". I will try to explain.

The EHIC relied on 27/28 separate agreements between each of the EU countries all under the umbrella of the EU. Those exact same agreements have been swept up into the "deal" with a few helpful amendments. One of those is that the UK card will encompass not only the EU countries but also any other country with which we wish to have a similar arrangement, hence it will be called the Global Health Insurance Card.

PS First we need a signed deal and to get to 01/01/21. (y)
 
Dorset Diver said:
In any event it makes it clear that the visitor must present their EHIC or risk being charged.
Click to expand...
I don't know about now in the Uk but whilst in the EU anyone entitled in there own country ,who was travelling without one, & taken ill can inform the host state health provider to obtain from there country a "provisional replacement certificate " which offers the same coverage as the ehic.


If you're abroad and do not have your EHIC with you​

You can be issued with a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) to prove your entitlement to the EHIC if you travel to Europe without your EHIC but then need medical treatment during your visit.
You'll need to apply for a PRC by calling Overseas Healthcare Services at the NHS Business Services Authority on +44 (0)191 218 1999, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Someone else can apply for a PRC on your behalf.
If you need it outside opening hours, you should call as soon as possible the next working day.
The PRC will give you the same cover as an EHIC until you return home.
When calling for a PRC, you'll need to provide:
  • your National Insurance number
  • your name
  • your address
  • your date of birth
  • the name of the treatment facility
  • the email address for the specific department of the organisation providing your treatment
from bottom of link.
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/he...r-a-free-ehic-european-health-insurance-card/
Jim said:
if you had a serious pre-existing condition with even the slightest chance of an ambulance repatriation then no insurance and relying only on EHIC is only for the really lucky.
Click to expand...
that's why the withdrawal of ADAC for UK owners is such a loss not just for the recovery but as the medical side had few restrictions & included full air ambulance repatriation.
 
gus-lopez said:
I don't know about now in the Uk but whilst in the EU anyone entitled in there own country ,who was travelling without one, & taken ill can inform the host state health provider to obtain from there country a "provisional replacement certificate " which offers the same coverage as the ehic.


If you're abroad and do not have your EHIC with you​

You can be issued with a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) to prove your entitlement to the EHIC if you travel to Europe without your EHIC but then need medical treatment during your visit.
You'll need to apply for a PRC by calling Overseas Healthcare Services at the NHS Business Services Authority on +44 (0)191 218 1999, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Someone else can apply for a PRC on your behalf.
If you need it outside opening hours, you should call as soon as possible the next working day.
The PRC will give you the same cover as an EHIC until you return home.
When calling for a PRC, you'll need to provide:
  • your National Insurance number
  • your name
  • your address
  • your date of birth
  • the name of the treatment facility
  • the email address for the specific department of the organisation providing your treatment
from bottom of link.
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/he...r-a-free-ehic-european-health-insurance-card/

that's why the withdrawal of ADAC for UK owners is such a loss not just for the recovery but as the medical side had few restrictions & included full air ambulance repatriation.
Click to expand...
Agree about the withdrawal of ADAC. That was a major blow.

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Dorset Diver said:
A very big document but the important part is:

The following services are free at the point of use for all patients. A charge cannot be made or recovered from any overseas visitor for: • accident and emergency (A&E) services, this includes all A&E services provided at an NHS hospital, e.g. those provided at an accident & emergency department, walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or urgent care centre2.

This does not include those emergency services provided after the overseas visitor has been accepted as an inpatient, or at a follow-up outpatient appointment, for which charges must be levied.

The big problem with successive UK government and the NHS is their failure to recover these charges. Millions if not billions over the years. Imagine what the NHS could do with a big cash boost like that.
Click to expand...
Not wishing to be argumentative but there are other perspectives and you may find those Migrants are actually contributing to the system not just taking from it.

Claim that 500,000 people who haven’t paid any UK tax sign up with GPs per year is wrong​


​

 
Dorset Diver said:
This is not about genuine migrants it is about visitors and what has been called health tourists. Genuine migrants will have the correct documentation and will receive full NHS care.
Click to expand...
I think that this is where it gets fuzzy and the Daily Fail and others tend to bundle all foreign visitors together, some revenues are collected and some are not. Clearly we do not want a health tourist but that is for the Government to sort out.
 
Another point about crossover between travel insurance and EHIC (& hopefully GHIC) - a couple of years ago I was briefly hospitalised in Portugal, in a public hospital. There were a number of consequent costs (prescriptions, car hire for my wife, even additional toll costs when she had to drive us back to Calais - she doesn’t normally drive long distances in the van) which were met by our travel insurance.

The costs repaid would normally have been affected by an excess, but because the hospital costs were met by EHIC the insurers waived the excess. I don’t know how widespread this practice is, but it seems a good reason to get a GHIC when they’re available.
 
Solwaybuggier said:
Another point about crossover between travel insurance and EHIC (& hopefully GHIC) - a couple of years ago I was briefly hospitalised in Portugal, in a public hospital. There were a number of consequent costs (prescriptions, car hire for my wife, even additional toll costs when she had to drive us back to Calais - she doesn’t normally drive long distances in the van) which were met by our travel insurance.

The costs repaid would normally have been affected by an excess, but because the hospital costs were met by EHIC the insurers waived the excess. I don’t know how widespread this practice is, but it seems a good reason to get a GHIC when they’re available.
Click to expand...
Very considerate of your insurers. A pleasing tale to hear. What company was it?

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