Euro dopers : E111 form (or current equivalent) and related healthcare questions

Factual Questions
1

I never requested an E111 form, and I’m wondering about it.

First, does it still exist? I think it doesn’t and has been replaced by something else, but I’m not really sure.

If it does (or if it has been replaced by something similar) :

  • What happens when you don’t have one (or for that matter if you do have one)? Say, I go to Spain (or anywhere else) and have to be hospitalized. Will I be billed? If so, will I be able to sort things out after so that my medical expenses will be covered or will I be out of luck because I didn’t plan ahead?

-If I’ve one (or can sort things out later) how does it works? Does the british/spanish/german public healthcare sytem cover my expenses and then bills the french one?

-From my point of view : do I have to pay for the medical expenses and then ask for a “refund” in my country? Do I just walk out and let them sort everything out? Which system will apply? Let’s assume I’m staying in a country where, for instance, hospital stays aren’t billed or at the contrary where there’s a co-payment dependant on the actual costs (as opposed to the french system, where there’s a fixed co-payment/day, regardless of the actual cost of the care received). Will what I’ll end up paying (or not paying, as the case might be) according to the rules in the country I’m staying, or will the french “securite sociale” ask me to pay what I would have paid if I had been hospitalized in France? Or will I end up being treated for free, regardless of the the country I’m staying in and the existing healthcare system in this country?

-Finally, does it work in the new EU member countries or not? Is the E111 form or its current equivalent of any use if I visit, say, Poland?
-A more practical question (actually, I didn’t intend at first to ask most of the questions in this post) : do you think it’s necessary/useful/pointless to request such a form? Do you take one when you’re visiting another EU country? Did you ever need it? Did you ever need it and didn’t have it? Was it a problem?

2

Apparently E111 is no longer valid.

You need the new European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)/Carte Européenne d’Assurance Maladie (CEAM)

3

This should answer most of your questions. (Thanks to the holidaytruths website) :-

*The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles travellers to free or reduced cost medical treatment in most European Economic Area (EEA) countries in the event of illness or accident whilst on holiday. The EEA consists of the European Union (EU) countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Switzerland applies the EHIC arrangements through a separate agreement with the EU.

The EHIC now covers Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (but not Northern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (incl Balearics & Canaries), Sweden and Switzerland.

Some other countries also have reciprocal arrangements, but these are often organised separately from the EHIC Scheme.

If you are ill and have to seek medical help, you will be asked to produce the EHIC. If you do not have one and you do not have travel insurance, you will be expected to pay the cost of your treatment in full.

You can apply for an EHIC for your spouse/partner and any children up to the age of 16 (or 19 if they are in full-time education) at the same time as applying for your own. If you are a foster parent or guardian, you can apply on behalf of any children you are looking after. You must be over 16 to apply as a main applicant.

It is essential that you have both travel insurance and an EHIC. This is because only state-provided emergency treatment is covered by the EHIC, and you will receive treatment on the same terms as nationals of the country you are visiting. Private treatment is generally not covered, and state-provided treatment may not cover all of the things that you would expect to receive free of charge from the NHS.

Furthermore, the EHIC does not cover aspects of travel insurance such as lost or stolen baggage, lost or stolen passports, travel cancellation, delays etc .

Some travel insurance companies insist that you have an EHIC and others may offer incentives such as a reduction or a waiving of the excess applicable to the policy.

If you are suffering from a pre-existing condition or a chronic condition this can be included under the EHIC scheme, but you must not use the EHIC if you are travelling to a country for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment.
Please note that the European Health Insurance Card is a replacement for the E111, which ceased to be valid as from 31 December 2005.
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