Problems getting a new EHIC

[mazandcol]

I was

wondering if anyone else has had problems with obtaining new EHICs following

their move to France.  Here’s our tale so

far...

My wife and I

retired to France 25 May 2011. We knew that once we had registered with the

French health system (via S1 form) we then needed to change our EHICs, even

though they still had to be issued by UK, we needed to change them.  Straight forward we thought.

In early

August 2011 I phoned UK to check what was happening and was told there was a

huge backlog, but I could push things forward by faxing a copy of the S1.  I was given a specific fax number and told

what to put on the coversheet.  This

required obtaining a copy via the local CPAM office, but this took only two

days, so the form was duly faxed in early August.

No response

for months, and impossible to get through on the telephone.

Ten months

later, in late June 2012 we received in the post acknowledgement of receipt of

the S1, our change of address and transfer of health care to France. The letter

also included an application form to apply for renewal of our EHICs.  The completed form was posted 4 July 2012.

No response,

and still impossible to get through on the telephone, despite frequent waits ‘in

the queue’ of up to 30 minutes.

Finally, on

20 November 2012 I e-mailed UK asking for information on our application and attaching

a copy of the form posted in July (I’ve been here long enough now, to scan

everything before posting).  I received a

reply three days later informing me we had been sent the wrong form (after over

a year!) and that new forms were being posted to us.  I replied immediately expressing our concerns

and disappointment in the delay, and in the fact that had I not e-mailed we

would probably never have been told about the wrong form. 

Six days

later we still have not even received any new forms to complete.

I also asked

about our situation regarding emergency health care in the UK when we return

for Christmas, as we know the EHIC should be used on any visit outside of

France (within the EU of course). 

Apparently, we need a “Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC)

obtainable by telephoning the Overseas Healthcare Team”.  The same team I’ve been trying to ring for

the last six weeks!

For anybody

old enough to remember Flanders and Swan – “T’was on a Monday morning the gas

man came to call....”

Sorry about the length of this posting!

[woolybanana]

New EHICs take over a year to issue, but they do say that is you need emergency health care in UK just tell the hosto or whatever to contact them. But anyway, emergency health care is automatic in UK isnt it?

[mazandcol]

Emergency care is only 'automatic' in so far as they will treat you, but without the relevant EHIC or the Provisional Certificate you'll probably get sent the bill - especially nowadays!

Also, Newcastle have told me the new cards only take 20 days - once they have the correct forms, of course!

[NickP]

[quote user="woolybanana"]New EHICs take over a year to issue, but they do say that is you need emergency health care in UK just tell the hosto or whatever to contact them. But anyway, emergency health care is automatic in UK isnt it?[/quote]

Emergency health care is automatic all over Europe. Only in America do the ambulance men go through your pockets before treating you. [:D]

[powerdesal]

''Emergency health care is automatic all over Europe.''

It's true that emergency treatment will not be with held but.............it's also billed.

[NickP]

[quote user="powerdesal"]''Emergency health care is automatic all over Europe.'' It's true that emergency treatment will not be with held but.............it's also billed.[/quote]

Not always.

[idun]

If it's any consolation, took us that amount of time, maybe more to get ours from France....... trouble is that if they don't issue one for a full year, they are only valid for a year anyway. Thankyou for posting this though, we need to try and renew ours now, as they expire soon.