Ehic Card And E111

[Stephen]

Please note that the European Health Insurance Card is a replacement for the E111, which ceased to be valid as from 31 December 2005.



just a reminder i am sure people know but maybe if people are going tommorrow or in the next week they should be advised and also people all ready on the island

[libbyo]

Always worth a reminder though. BUT this is no replacement for travel insurance. You need both.

Libbyo :)

[mary]

You definitely need both as the EHIC card will not fly you home, look after your family and cover their costs if something happens that causes you to have to extend your hols etc etc

[swifty]

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers/fs/en
apply online for your ehic card at this link.

[oor wullie]

Thanks for the link ...very helpful.

[Stephen]

Spain (including the Canary and Balearic Islands)


The Kingdom of Spain joined the European Community, the forerunner of the European Union (EU), in 1986. The official language is Spanish.

What treatment is covered and what will I be charged for?

Doctors and dentists: make sure the practitioner you see works within the Spanish state health service. In some parts of the country, particularly the outlying islands, you may have to travel some distance to attend a state surgery ('consultorio'), health centre ('centro sanitario') or hospital clinic ('ambulatorio'). If you need to call out a doctor in an emergency, make it clear that you have an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and that you want to be treated under the EU arrangements. Whenever you need treatment, show your EHIC. Dental treatment is not generally provided under the state system, and the costs will not be reimbursed. In Spain, doctors, health centres and hospitals have separate surgery times for private patients and those treated under the state health service. If you are asked to pay, you are not being treated under the Spanish health service and your EHIC will not be accepted.
Prescriptions: medicines prescribed by health service practitioners can be obtained from any pharmacy ('farmacia'). You will have to pay up to 40 per cent of the cost unless you are a UK or other European Economic Area (EEA) pensioner, in which case the medicines will be free of charge. You must show proof that you are a state pensioner, otherwise you will be charged 40 per cent of the cost, which you can claim back on your return to the UK. If a hospital says you need medicines after you are discharged, you must take the medical report to a GP, who will give you a prescription.
Hospital treatment: a doctor will usually arrange any hospital treatment you may need. In an emergency, you can only get free treatment in a public ward at a public hospital. You must show your EHIC; if not, you will be charged as a private patient and will not get your money back. Under the strict terms of the Spanish health service, there are no refunds for private healthcare charges. Make sure you have private medical insurance in case you are treated in an emergency in a private hospital. Doctors in the emergency departments of state health service hospitals will prescribe medicines on the appropriate medical report, but do not issue official prescriptions. You must take the report to a primary care doctor who will issue the official prescription.



Who handles reimbursements?

There are none. However, if you are a state pensioner and are charged for your prescriptions, you can apply for a refund when you get back to the UK. Contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for more information.

What documentation do I need to claim money back?

Original receipts.


Where to get information

Servicio Regional de Salud (Regional Health Service Offices).

[BlonDane]

If you are dependent on certain medicine, like for example asthma medicine, will you be finacially ruined if you move to the islands?

Does anyone know if it is much more expensive to be chronically ill there than in Denmark or the UK?

I'm sure it is not the same for all chronical illnesses what the cost of medicine is but just as an approximate of what is to come..

[mary]

It depends on which inhalers you use - Salmetrol for example is about 35 euros whilst a salbutamol - 100 mcg inhaler cost 5 euros. Consultations will be free through the NHS here but you have to pay for the costs of medications

[BlonDane]

It depends on which inhalers you use - Salmetrol for example is about 35 euros whilst a salbutamol - 100 mcg inhaler cost 5 euros. Consultations will be free through the NHS here but you have to pay for the costs of medications

:thankyou: That will not be a problem then. In Denmark I pay between 13 and 100 euros per inhaler. Salmeterol, Budesonid and terbutalinsulfat. But I do not use very much, if any, in the dry weather in Playa del Ingles:banana: