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Original poster

Do we have to have an EHIC card for France?

23 replies

PiedWagtail · 08/07/2012 21:13

You know you used to get a form E111 to travel in France to entitle you to free medical care - well, now you have to pay £17 for an EHIC card. Do we need this?? what happens if we go without one and need medical care?
Thanks!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 08/07/2012 22:17

where did you get the idea that it cost £17?

let me guess, you googled EHIC and the first few searches were crooks that Google allows to the top of the list, right?

Write a leter of compalint to google for supporting crooks, and go to
www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx

PigletJohn · 08/07/2012 22:21

p.s.

I also sell first-class postage stamps for £5 each. I handle and check your order hence I have to make a small charge for my services
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very small print:
you can also buy them cheaper by going to the post office yourself

NiceViper · 08/07/2012 22:22

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx Here is the bit of the NHS site which tells you how to get one free.

IIRC you need NI number or NHS number to apply.

You do not need an EHIC if you have good travel insurance, but check exclusions carefully (as some, to keep costs down, will expect you to begin within EHIC system).

NiceViper · 08/07/2012 22:22

Try that link again! Here.

PigletJohn · 08/07/2012 22:23

"You do not need an EHIC if you have good travel insurance"

yes you do, because the travel insurance assumes that you have it, and they pay the top-up for what the EHIC doesn't cover.

PrisonerOfWaugh · 08/07/2012 22:25

Also the medical care is not always free - it is the equivalent of what a national in that country would pay. So in France for example there is usually a flat fee for seeing a HCP. When we were there last summer and DS needed a hospital visit and x-rays we were later sent a bill for the fixed amount by the hospital (about £50 IIRC).

You also NEED travel insurance because the EHIC does not cover things like repatriation costs e.g. if you need to get home with medical support once you have been treated.

maxmissie · 08/07/2012 22:25

Yes, get one. I ended up in hospital for three days on holiday in France and having an EHIC meant my travel insurance only had to pay for a small part of the total cost. Also without one you may have to pay for the cost yourself and then claim back from your insurance (although I might be wrong on that one). The hospital asked for my EHIC and insurance details fairly quickly.

...and it is definitely free!

NiceViper · 08/07/2012 22:25

THat's why went on to say you need to check the exclusions carefully!

Seona1973 · 08/07/2012 22:26

the EHIC card is free - just renewed for 3 of us in the family

ehic application

fruitpastille · 08/07/2012 22:48

Does anyone know how i can add DD? The rest of us have cards that don't expire till 2014 but i need one for her before then. I just had a try online but don't want to submit it as i am not sure if it's going to cancel DH and DS now!

FiftyShadesofViper · 08/07/2012 22:50

Definitely free, any charge is some cheeky bugger charging you a fee for something you can do yourself.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 08/07/2012 22:50

fruit if you ring the number on the website they are really helpful. You will get a new card for your DD that will expire at a different date to the rest of you.

fridayfreedom · 08/07/2012 22:55

Think I just ordered new ones for everyone when I did it. They all expire at the same time now, saves hastle.
When we had a car accident in France we needed the card then, plus health insurance plus AA car insurance. The AA by the way were Fab.
The hosptal were very keen to see all documents the moment we were admitted.
Because of the cover we had all we ended up paying was £40 phone bill.
When my son saw a Dr two years ago due to an infected leg, we needed the card and insurance details then. We had to pay the Dr , about £20 and also for the medication. We had a form to clainm this back but didn't bother with the hastle as it was only a small amount.

CelticRepublican · 08/07/2012 22:59

It's free and you need insurance a well as others have said. DH got stung by one of those sites charging £15 for nothing. Bastards.

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 08/07/2012 23:01

Be aware you also need to be carrying the EHIC to get the benefits (apparently!). So you are meant to take it around with you - just in case of being hit by a bus or whatever while you're out...

I've just renewed mine - free! - and added DD too.

fruitpastille · 08/07/2012 23:25

Thanks for adding DC advice.

FredWorms · 08/07/2012 23:27

I applied for ours lasy monday and they arrived by the end of the week.

Easy peasy.

FredWorms · 08/07/2012 23:28

last

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 08/07/2012 23:30

Get one! It's free and could save you a fortune. I fell ill in Spain & has to have emergency surgery - was totally free because of ehic & wouldn't have been if I didn't have it.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 08/07/2012 23:34

Just to say, you don't need to be carrying the card if you have the phone number of the emergency line with you.

I had lost ours and needed replacements before a holiday and to add DS2, and they told me to take the phone number and ring if we needed assistance.
As it turned out the cards arrived in about 3 days so we had them well before we went, but it would have been ok if we hadn't.

Original poster
PiedWagtail · 08/07/2012 23:41

Wow - thank you so much!!!! I saw an article in the Mail on Sunday which mentioned the cards and the website it gave had a whole lot of EHIC listings underneath - I clicked on a couple and both links said you have to pay for the card - thanks for the correct listings - have just ordered free cards for me and family - thanks Mumsnet!! :)

OP posts:
LakeFlyPie · 09/07/2012 00:35

Very useful info up thread, thanks all Smile
Have applied for renewal with DP and DC added on.
Anyone know how quickly they are issued is there any chance of it arriving by Saturday?

Seona1973 · 09/07/2012 08:20

they do come quite quickly. When I renewed for 3 of us out of 4 I gave everyone's details (so they can keep all your details together) and they only sent the renewals for the ones that had expired.

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