The European Health Insurance Card
17 Noviembre, 2023
The European Health Insurance Card is a personal and non-transferable document that guarantees that any citizen can have access to medical care in most European countries.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is the personal and non-transferable document that certifies the right to receive the health benefits that are necessary, from a medical point of view, during a temporary stay in the territory of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, taking into account the nature of the benefits and the duration of the planned stay, in accordance with the legislation of the country of stay, regardless of whether the purpose of the stay is tourism, a professional activity or studies.
What is it?
This is a free card that provides access to medically necessary public health care during a temporary stay in any of the 27 EU Member States, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (care is free in some countries) as persons insured in that country. The benefits covered include, for example, those provided in connection with chronic or existing illnesses, as well as those related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Important - The European Health Insurance Card:
- It is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover private health care or costs such as the return flight to your home country or the loss or theft of your belongings,
- It does not cover your expenses if you are traveling for the express purpose of receiving medical treatment,
- It does not guarantee that the service will be free of charge. As the health care systems in each country are different, services that are free of charge in your country may not be free of charge in other countries.
Please note: if you move your habitual residence to another country, the European Health Insurance Card is not sufficient to receive medical care in your new country of residence; you must register under another concept that we will explain in our next article.
Who is the target audience?
To apply for the European Health Insurance Card you must meet at least one of these requirements:
- Be covered by the health system of any member country of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
- Be a national of a non-EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, but be legally resident and covered by the health system of one of these states.
Please note: Citizens of countries outside the European Union cannot use their EHIC to receive medical treatment or services in Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
Application Process
The EHIC can be applied for online and without the need for a digital certificate, except in those cases in which it is necessary to provide documentation proving the right to export health benefits (in the case of those applying for the card for the first time, recipients of unemployment benefits and their beneficiaries, people on a temporary contract such as artists or bullfighters, as well as holders of a non-contributory pension and people who have recognized the right to health care as people by income limit), in which case it will be necessary to apply in person at one of the S. Social Security Centers. Social Security Centers.
The EHIC will be sent to the applicant's home within a period not exceeding 10 days, and will not be delivered by hand in any case.
If you are unable to obtain the TSE in time due to imminent travel or a medical emergency, you may request a Provisional Substitute Certificate (CPS).
When does the European Health Insurance Card expire?
The validity of the EHIC is normally two years, although this is not always the case. However, it is very easy to know the expiration date of the EHIC as it is written on the card itself. There are cases in which the expiration of the EHIC depends on several factors, for example:
- When you are a foreigner residing in an EU state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
- When you are a beneficiary of some kind of social assistance.
- When you are a person without sufficient economic resources.
It should be noted that the validity of the European Health Insurance Card has nothing to do with the length of time you can receive medical coverage in a foreign country.
In general, European health care lasts approximately 3 months, with some exceptions, for example:
- Students who are pursuing official studies in a country other than their own.
- Workers posted by their employer for a long period of time.
Important: Once the EHIC has expired, it must be reapplied for if you wish to continue to receive European health care. To renew the European Health Insurance Card, simply follow the same procedure as when you first applied for it.
