European Helath Card for travelling outside France

[Llantony]

Does anyone know the website where I can apply online for a European Health Card as I am now in the French system?  I hope it's better than the UK one.  Mine was due to run out in November so I applied in advance and never received the card!

But with this new flu virus, perhaps a trip to the UK isn't such a great idea....

 

[Nell]

You could maybe start from here.

http://www.ameli.fr/fiches-synthetiques/la-carte-europeenne-d-8217-assurance-maladie.php

The other link that I had saved for this is no longer valid

You will need your CV number and state which region you are from. The good thing is that, once you order it it will turn up within a few days...

[mint]

Yes, I can confirm that it only takes a few days but the duration is only 1 year so you have to keep remembering to renew it if you want a current card in case you have to travel with short notice.

[Nell]

Sweets - I am glad you posted the bit about only being valid for 1 year. Just checked mine and it expired February - oops [blink]

[Cerise]

Just ring CPAM - they send in a few days (mine took 3) in our area.  All you need is your Secu number - remember to get one each.  They often ask you where you are going, say Spain or Italy not GB as some of the staff think you don't need one for GB (wrong) and go off into one.  So Spain for your hols it is.[:)]

[AnOther]

You lot woz lucky then. We applied online at the beginning of March but not a whisper heard back.

'er indoors wanted it for her trip back to UK, now past, and me because I'm back and forth every 2 or 3 weeks although I'm only on dry land for a few hours coming or going.

On the list to try again when I get home next week.

I'm in the bizarre position of having a 5 year UK EHIC yet still needing a French one for cover in UK, daft or what [:'(]

[lorna]

Mine also came back very quickly. I had given quite a close date when I applied and the acknowledging email that came attached a cover note for printing which I would have been able to use if I needed to.

[AnOther]

We didn't get any acknowledgement email, is it normal to get one ?

 

[Judith]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

You lot woz lucky then. We applied online at the beginning of March but not a whisper heard back.

[/quote]

Moi, aussi.  Still waiting, though I applied in March, also online, and I go to the UK in 10 days time.

As regards the poster above, the new site has altered - you need to register before you can apply, and guess what - they send the code you need BY POST taking about a week.  Only found this out on Thursday evening, so no point in phoning yesterday - looks like a visit to Narbonne on Monday.  The annoying thing is, when I visited CPAM in January for other purposes, I asked for the card and he said, come back later, it is too soon to apply if you are not going until May.  Wished I'd said I was going the week after now!!

But why is it only valid a year? Is there any good reason other thatn French bureaucracy??

[Maricopa]

[quote user="ErnieY"]We didn't get any acknowledgement email, is it normal to get one ?[/quote]

Yes, I certainly got one.  Indeed for one of the cards we had quite an exchange of e-mails, but both arrived very quickly.

[Judith]

I'm beginning to wonder if the problem is that I applied just as the system was being changed, and the message got lost in the ether.  Also, I thought I had kept a copy of my application, but can I find it now?  of course, so I'm begining to wonder if I imagined it, but I know I crossed it off my list of things to do!!

[Cerise]

I really would try phoning them.  It is a central number now - 3646 - you then key in your department number when asked and have your social security number ready.  I called for someone else on Monday and they have just rung to say the cards arrived this morning (not bad seeing there was a Bank Holiday in the way).

[Judith]

Cerise,

I phoned this morning, they said 10 days, which will be too late for me, but who knows, it just might make it before then.  Thanks for the tip, it was very easy, even for someone not that happy on the phone, it is all recorded messages until you get to speak to someone, and all they then ask is for the social security number, so really not all that difficult, and wish I'd done it before.  Well, you live and learn.

[Cerise]

They do say 10 days - but my experience is that is worse case scenario.  Usually seem to put in appearance sometime between 3 and 7 days.  Hope it arrives in time - newt year you'll know what to do, don't forget to mark the calendar!!

[Fi]

I just tried to get cards for the family and I have been told we can't have them from CPAM because we have our CV via an E106 (my husband works in The Hague) and we need to apply to the Dutch authorities (boo hoo, not an experience I am looking forward to).  This seems a bit strange to me - are there 'grades' of CV which dictate what you can apply for?  It seems odd that I can go to the doctor/hospital and have expensive treatment here without any problem, but I can't get a card which states I have health cover in one EC country so I am covered for an emergecy in another.   I just hope nothing bad happens on a forthcoming trip to the UK - I know the Dutch will be difficult in the extreme and it will take an eon or 3 to get anything out of them.  Or perhaps I should just try again tomorrow and speak to a different operator?

[Judith]

Fi,

I'm here on a E106, so don't see why you should be different unless it's because it's hubby's rather than your own, which is what mine is.  But if you have a CV thye take the soc sec number from that, surely??

[Fi]

[quote user="Judith"]Fi,

I'm here on a E106, so don't see why you should be different unless it's because it's hubby's rather than your own, which is what mine is.  But if you have a CV thye take the soc sec number from that, surely??

[/quote]

I did quote the number from the CV (which I hold because his nibs has no use for it in NL) and I was effectively refused.  Very confusing.  Even though it will be too late for this trip, perhaps I should go to the CPAM permanence in the nearest town and get them to sort it out.  I was going to apply on line but as previously mentioned, you need access codes which are sent by snail mail (very high tech).

[Clair]

[quote user="Fi"]I just tried to get cards for the family and I have been told we can't have them from CPAM because we have our CV via an E106 (my husband works in The Hague) and we need to apply to the Dutch authorities[/quote]

Your E106 andyour cover are provided by the Netherlands, so you are under their health umbrella rather than under the French health umbrella and your CEAM has to be issued by the Netherlands.

As far as general health costs are concerned, France claims back from the Netherlands.

[Fi]

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="Fi"]I just tried to get cards for the family and I have been told we can't have them from CPAM because we have our CV via an E106 (my husband works in The Hague) and we need to apply to the Dutch authorities[/quote]

Your E106 andyour cover are provided by the Netherlands, so you are under their health umbrella rather than under the French health umbrella and your CEAM has to be issued by the Netherlands.

As far as general health costs are concerned, France claims back from the Netherlands.

[/quote]

I know that, but I still don't understand why they won't issue the CEAM on the same basis as providing health cover (i.e. claiming back any costs from the Netherlands).  It seems other people on the E106  have not had this problem.  Or perhaps if my husband makes the call as the card is in his name, that would make a difference? 

[Clair]

I am not sure what you mean by "other people on the E106  have not had this problem".

The CEAM/EHIC is always issued by the country providing the health cover, not by the country providing the health care.

Your husband's SS number contains information that his cover is provided by the Netherlands, so he is likely to get the same refusal.

[AnOther]

Maybe this is why I never heard a word back then in which case I'm confused.

Lets forget for a moment that I have a workers E106 because I don't think in this case it matters. I also have a brand new 5 year UK EHIC.

As I see it now then effectively it means that I'm fully covered in both countries so French resident or not I am entitled to full health care both in UK and in France.

Or have I missed something ?

[Fi]

[quote user="Judith"]Fi,

I'm here on a E106, so don't see why you should be different unless it's because it's hubby's rather than your own, which is what mine is.  But if you have a CV thye take the soc sec number from that, surely??

[/quote]

[quote user="Clair"]I am not sure what you mean by "other people on the E106  have not had this problem".

The CEAM/EHIC is always issued by the country providing the health cover, not by the country providing the health care.

Your

husband's SS number contains information that his cover is provided by

the Netherlands, so he is likely to get the same refusal.

[/quote]

This is what I mean!

And it still seems illogical for the card not to be issued by the country providing the health care, this is just an extension of that surely?

[Clair]

For argument's sake, let us imagine that you break a leg during your skiing holiday in Italy.

Why should the French health service pay the Italian health service and then have to claim the costs back from the Dutch health service?

Surely it makes more sense for the Italian health service to claim directly from the Dutch health service which provides your health cover...

[Fi]

I accept that argument, but when I do everything else to do with healthcare via the French system, it still seems odd that for this I need to go back to the Netherlands (and I don't live there any more thank goodness!).  Every single thing we do is now French based - health/education/family benefits/car registration/mutuelle/money/mortgages etc etc, but not this one item.  However, my other question still stands, why can Judith have her card issued by the French when she has an E106, and I can't?

[AnOther]

My understanding, and feel free to correct me please, is that with a UK E106 the UK pays a set amount per person per annum to the French which implies that responsibility for the costs of your health care rests with them on a some you win some you lose basis. Logically therefore it seems to me that the EHIC should be provided by the French.

The dichotomy seems to arise when it comes to provision of care in UK. Is it really the case or the intent that, despite having paid a lump sum to a 3rd party for your care elsewhere, the NHS is still obliged to pick up the full cost of any treatment you might require whilst there ?