GHIC Card in Europe - My Experience

[EuroTrotters]

Had a skiing incident in Austria,

Boarder collided with me. I put up with the pain, with the usual pills and alcohol .

We moved on to stay with friends in Germany.

After being nagged by our friends, by day 10. I let them take me to a local A&E.

Willkommen an den Ilmtalkliniken - Ilmtalkliniken

Hallo in der Ilmtalklinik Pfaffenhofen und im Kreiskrankenhaus Mainburg.

www.ilmtalkliniken.de

Very well looked after. The Doctors Brother studied in Sheffield, another Doctor studied in Manchester (ok Salford) . Almost staff had a great command of English and laughed at my Genglish.

No problems with GHIC card and never a mention of private/travel insurance

 

[jumar]

Had a skiing incident in Austria,

Boarder collided with me. I put up with the pain, with the usual pills and alcohol .

We moved on to stay with friends in Germany.

After being nagged by our friends, by day 10. I let them take me to a local A&E.

Willkommen an den Ilmtalkliniken - Ilmtalkliniken

Hallo in der Ilmtalklinik Pfaffenhofen und im Kreiskrankenhaus Mainburg.

www.ilmtalkliniken.de

Very well looked after. The Doctors Brother studied in Sheffield, another Doctor studied in Manchester (ok Salford) . Almost staff had a great command of English and laughed at my Genglish.

No problems with GHIC card and never a mention of private/travel insurance

Speedy recovery...you did have Travel/,Skiing insurance but didn't need to claim on the policy..?

 

[Lenny HB]

Left my gallbladder in Germany, hospital was excellant as good as a private hospital here. Only got a bill for €70 same as the Germans €10 a day for stays less than 28 days. Also no charge at the doctor I saw before I went to the hospital.

 

[David and Sally]

A few years ago on a motorcycle tour in Holland Sally got a badly trapped nerve in her leg. Massive pain.

Went to a hospital and was immediately asked for her EHIC card even before they would look at her. We didn’t have it with us () so they swiped our credit card.

Treatment was a bit lacklustre if not quite reluctant and we came out with some strong painkillers and a large bill.

On return to the UK we sent a copy of the EHIC and the fees were refunded.

These cards are high up on our check list these days.

 

[Lenny HB]

Went to a hospital and was immediately asked for her EHIC card even before they would look at her. We didn’t have it with us () so they swiped our credit card

When we went to the doctor first thing they asked for was the GHIC card, probably the same at the hospital don't remember, I was in too much pain by then.

If you don't have your card there is a tempory online one on the Gov site just need your NI number.

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[barryd]

Used the EHIC card on several occasions over the years. France, Germany and Italy and always worked well. Good to hear the GHIC card seems as good.

 

[MichaelT]

2023 in Spain I had a cyst on my back so went to Hospital in Jaca, they cut it open and drained and packed it. Had to show passport and then EHIC card in A&E and was in and out in 50 minutes (it was a Spanish holiday) .

Then told to get anti biotics and go to local health centre for 10 days to get it drained. Went to health centre and managed to get someone who spoke English who arranged daily appointments with nurse but again I had to register with passport and EHIC.

Spent 10 days on Aire going each morning for treatment, could of just went to any health centre in any town but would of had to explain what was needed and register each time so decided to stay in Jaca as same nurse each day could see it healing.

All free and apart from language barrier (Google translate helped) all good.

I called our insurance to ask where I should go so they knew about it and I never claimed but on arrival home a letter to remind me to update ,y medical history with any visit to hospital, A&E etc. which I duly did so anyone who does receive treatment here or abroad it's important to declare it to insurers even if you don't claim especially with annual policies.

 

[Lenny HB]

medical history with any visit to hospital, A&E etc. which I duly did so anyone who does receive treatment here or abroad it's important to declare it to insurers even if you don't claim especially with annual policies.

With our insurance we don't have to declare a thing that was done more than 6 months ago but that is not the case with a lot of insurers.

 

[Odd-no-more]

Mrs. Odd had to be taken to hospital in France, many years ago. The hospital took the ehic card on arrival, but the ambulance wanted cash. So I was taken to a cash machine as Mrs. Odd was being admitted. We had to pay 20% for the hospital, the same as the French I did get it all back from the insurance later.

 

[Odd-no-more]

All these stories show how poor the healthcare is on this country

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[Widge]

My wife was ill on a flight to Beziers from Bristol she has passed out and was sick.

She was fine by the time they arrived in beziers, but they insisted on calling an ambulance and she was taken to a hospital in Montpellier and checked out, all fine, the conclusion was that he blood pressure had been too low along with the heart medication and she was discharged, at no time was she asked for any medical card, EHIC or in her case being a resident, her carte vitale. If it is deamed an emergency in france they just get on with it with no charges. Or that has been our experience. But as somebody earlier pointed out depending on who provides the ambulance there might be a charge, in her case it was the fire brigade so it was free.

 

[jumar]

I'm sure other Spain dwellers will agree with me when I say the Spanish medical service is excellent..
We have medical cards which gives access to all the medical services around the whole country...whilst we are traveling here, I quite often will need a stitch here or a bandage there...this is often provided by a small medical centre in the smallest of communities .
For those of us in the pension age bracket we qualify for an S1 entitlement paid for by the UK,.and whilst travelling in other parts of Europe we qualify for a EHIC...yes E not G as we are residents in Europe...this too is paid for by the UK..very important to have cover whilst travelling..you never know, do you..

 

[nicholsong]

I have had minor, but once I was feeling unwell at sea. I managed to get boat onto the quay, Went to pharmacy who called a doctor, who said he would meet me in 20mins.at the then unstaffed clinic. Again did not ask to see EHIC.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Speedy recovery...you did have Travel/,Skiing insurance but didn't need to claim on the policy..?

Yes, I have Travel insurance plus a top up for pre-existing medical (triple heart bypass)

First insurer, Nationwide. Wanted to know if I had any other private insurance (to try and get me to claim off them instead).

Not claimed anything g

 

[Ingwe]

Left my gallbladder in Germany

Not quite as romantic as leaving your heart in San Francisco.

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[carolyn]

If you’re in Italy make sure you’ve got your GHIC on you. We were on a tour a few years ago in Italy. One of the couples was very elderly, in fact one of the pair had dementia, had forgotten her hearing aids and was in a wheelchair. On a free day they were out and about and she fell , cut her head open. An Italian called an Ambulance for them, they went to hospital but they wouldn’t look at her until the other elderly lady got a taxi back to where we were all parked up, got the GHIC and returned.

I’m sure if she’d been in extremis they would have acted of course.

Funnily enough we’d just had ours stollen in Pisa so were relying on an email from Newcastle!

 

[Verteuil Man]

Had a skiing incident in Austria,

Boarder collided with me. I put up with the pain, with the usual pills and alcohol .

We moved on to stay with friends in Germany.

After being nagged by our friends, by day 10. I let them take me to a local A&E.

Willkommen an den Ilmtalkliniken - Ilmtalkliniken

Hallo in der Ilmtalklinik Pfaffenhofen und im Kreiskrankenhaus Mainburg.

www.ilmtalkliniken.de

Very well looked after. The Doctors Brother studied in Sheffield, another Doctor studied in Manchester (ok Salford) . Almost staff had a great command of English and laughed at my Genglish.

No problems with GHIC card and never a mention of private/travel insurance

The GHIC will only give you the treatment you need, not medi-vac of paying for a room if you stay overnight.

 

[Sue and Rick]

Thanks for the reminder! Got our new ones ordered this morning and they're on their way to us

 

[BikerGraham]

Keep ours (GHIC) with our passports, at all times. Always on us when out of the country. You never know what may happen.