An EHIC question

[woolybanana]

So, I have French health cover under the CMU which, as I am a UK OAP, is actually paid for by the UK to the tune of about £3000, which entitles me to whatever the CMU offers. But the EHIC is now issued by the UK directly. Which card I have to use if I go back to UK and have need of treatment, and will entitle me to whatever the NHS offers.

Somehow this seems an administrative nonsense. Why not simply extend UK health cover for UKOAPs right across the EU whether they are UK resident or not. Surely it would be cheaper and easier to manage?

[mint]

The EHIC, which lasts 5 years, from the UK.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Why not simply extend UK health cover for UKOAPs right across the EU whether they are UK resident or not. Surely it would be cheaper and easier to manage?

[/quote]The card is the proof that this health cover is due to you - it's just a bit of plastic issued once every 5 years as Sweets says, and thus does exactly what you suggest.  Whether you live in the UK, France or any other member state of the European Community (as opposed to the EU), you are entitld to one.  Sillier in France where you have to get one every year!

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Why not simply extend UK health cover for UKOAPs right across the EU whether they are UK resident or not. Surely it would be cheaper and easier to manage?

[/quote]

That's exactly what the EHIC does......[;-)]

You require medical reatment when visiting another EU country, the UK pays for it.

 

Edit:

Sorry, Coops beat me to it whilst I nipped out to put the kettle on......

 

 

[sid]

Wooly, you make it sound as though you have a choice of cards, in fact you don't (have a choice). We had to return our French EHIC  and apply to the UK for replacements when the process changed last year (or was it the year before?  Time is whizzing by so fast!).

[woolybanana]

My point was perhaps not clearly made.

At present, as a UK resident of France, I have to register with the CPAM and could only use my UK issued EHIC outside France (including UK).

Why not simply give the EHIC to all UK OAPs regardless of whether they are resident in UK or the EU, and simply get rid of the need to register or enter the local system when living out of UK? So, the EHIC for a UK French resident OAP would replace the need for a carte vitale, and for the UK govt to give £3000 pa per head to the French system? It would seem to be a cheaper option.

[Araucaria]

Can someone remind me how to go about getting a UK EHIC?

I'm permanently resident in France and piggy-backing my French health cover on my wife's, as Mrs A is past UK retirement age.

Thanks in advance.

[cooperlola]

Because the treatments one is allowed as a tourist are fewer and less comprehensive as those of a resident.  It's designed to prevent heath tourism, so called.  Cue Norman.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Araucaria"]Can someone remind me how to go about getting a UK EHIC?

I'm permanently resident in France and piggy-backing my French health cover on my wife's, as Mrs A is past UK retirement age.

Thanks in advance.
[/quote]Found it:

"The EHIC application form is different for people living abroad. If you live abroad, contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 191 218 1999 and ask for the correct form to be sent to you."

Source

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="Araucaria"]Can someone remind me how to go about getting a UK EHIC?

I'm permanently resident in France and piggy-backing my French health cover on my wife's, as Mrs A is past UK retirement age.

Thanks in advance.
[/quote]

Contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 191 218 1999 and ask them to send you an application form.

 

Edit:  That woman's beaten me to it again.  I'm going back to bed.........

 

 

[cooperlola]

You need to stay away from that kettle, Sunday.[:)]

[woolybanana]

I foned them yesterday and was told that the form will be sent out automatically when they have received the copy of the S1 back from CPAM. However, I will begin to haress them in a month or so just to keep the pot boiling.

[idun]

Wooly, trouble with 'only' having an EHIC in France would be that the mutualists are linked into the Secu system in France and I reckon that you would find it nigh on impossible to get reasonably priced mutualist care. Or even mutualist care at all.Would the mutualists change for a few foreigners.........I doubt it, but you never know.

From a personal point of view, we would be a lot better off it they did it, but I don't think that they will.

[EuroTrashII]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Why not simply give the EHIC to all UK OAPs regardless of whether they are resident in UK or the EU, and simply get rid of the need to register or enter the local system when living out of UK? So, the EHIC for a UK French resident OAP would replace the need for a carte vitale, and for the UK govt to give £3000 pa per head to the French system? It would seem to be a cheaper option.

[/quote]

Because your EHIC card id is only meaningful to the UK NHS system, and the French system needs to be able to scan in a French secu ID to process your consultation fees, prescription charges, etc, etc. Or are you suggesting all the French chemists and doctors' surgeries should also be linked up to the UK NHS system so that your doctor can claim his 23 euros direct from the NHS every time you visit him? if not, you'd have to pay him cash and reclaim it from the UK each time, like visitors do with an EHIC.

It wouldn't work.

[sueyh]

Sunday, I don't know how you and Coops have time to put the kettle on and

make tea, with looking after all us lot. You are just wonderful, what would we

do without you?

Suey

[pitway]

I have never got my head round this, the UK pays france in the region of 3000 euros a year (if I have understood the system correctly) about the same amount of money an non actif would pay for private health insurance, equally it is around about the amount I pay in social on my salary, my contribution goes to CPAM (Caisse Primare "Assurance" malidie) and if I want to go abroad I have to get one from my insurer. So, as the UK are paying what is effectively your insurance why do you not get an ehic card issued by your caisse?  bizzare!

[idun]

If my memory serves me right, it used to be issued by the caisse de maladie, but that changed a year or two or go.

WHY, I have no idea. So much in this world,seems utter tosh and nonsense to me, and I'm sure some power mad person managed to get other power mad people to go along with the change.

[NickP]

[quote user="EuroTrashII"][quote user="woolybanana"][/quote] Because your EHIC card id is only meaningful to the UK NHS system, and the French system needs to be able to scan in a French secu ID to process your consultation fees, prescription charges, etc, etc. Or are you suggesting all the French chemists and doctors' surgeries should also be linked up to the UK NHS system so that your doctor can claim his 23 euros direct from the NHS every time you visit him? if not, you'd have to pay him cash and reclaim it from the UK each time, like visitors do with an EHIC. It wouldn't work.[/quote]

Not quite correct EuroT, We have a holiday home here and spend a lot of time in France, the first time we had reason to request medical help, we got a feuille de soin (spelling?) from the Dr and the chemist and  took them to the CPAM, they made a note of our Euro health card (issued from the UK) and our French bank account details, and paid the allowable fees into our French bank account. Obviously if you don't have a French bank account then the return of cash is indeed in the UK, as long as you have the paperwork. 

[idun]

But when was the NickP as the rules changed, I am pretty sure, a couple of years ago. That is certainly how it used to happen.

And I have a feeling that you get more back by waiting and asking the Dept of Health to pay, but I may be wrong about that. How would they know every little one of the french rules about payment?

[idun]

double post

 

[EuroTrashII]

[quote user="NickP"]

[quote user="EuroTrashII"][quote user="woolybanana"][/quote] Because your EHIC card id is only meaningful to the UK NHS system, and the French system needs to be able to scan in a French secu ID to process your consultation fees, prescription charges, etc, etc. Or are you suggesting all the French chemists and doctors' surgeries should also be linked up to the UK NHS system so that your doctor can claim his 23 euros direct from the NHS every time you visit him? if not, you'd have to pay him cash and reclaim it from the UK each time, like visitors do with an EHIC. It wouldn't work.[/quote]

Not quite correct EuroT, We have a holiday home here and spend a lot of time in France, the first time we had reason to request medical help, we got a feuille de soin (spelling?) from the Dr and the chemist and  took them to the CPAM, they made a note of our Euro health card (issued from the UK) and our French bank account details, and paid the allowable fees into our French bank account. Obviously if you don't have a French bank account then the return of cash is indeed in the UK, as long as you have the paperwork. 

[/quote]

f

When I said 'reclaim it from the UK', I didn't necessarily mean, claim it when you are in the UK. I meant, the money that you claim back, is ultimately paid by the UK's NHS.

[cooperlola]

You live in France but the UK pays for your health cover both where you live and when travelling - the latter via the EHIC.

Up until about 18 months ago, if you travelled to Spain, for example, your health expenses whilst there would have been picked up by France since the EHIC was issued by them as that was where you lived and was the place to which the annual amount (about 3keuros) was paid.  Under the new system, the UK pays France the 3k and picks up the tab for any medical expenses whilst away from the country you live in (just as it would have done if you still lived there.)  That is what has changed.

[NickP]

[quote user="idun"]

But when was the NickP as the rules changed, I am pretty sure, a couple of years ago. That is certainly how it used to happen.

And I have a feeling that you get more back by waiting and asking the Dept of Health to pay, but I may be wrong about that. How would they know every little one of the french rules about payment?

[/quote]

Idun, do you ever proof read what you write before you press the send button. For your information the last time I waited for the NHS to reimburse me I waited 12 months for my money, in my opinion it's much easier to get paid back by the CPAM if you have a French bank account and are in France at the time. The situation I described was what  happened to me six months ago, and so I can only tell it as it is.