what does E111 actually cover for visitors

[John45]

We have a friend staying for 2 months from the Uk and unfortunately they have had an 'argument' with the low beam in our stairwell (very sore head!) visited local doctor who advised a scan at local hospital to be on the safe side...not an emergency as such but i am wondering if their E111 will cover this - he's been putting it off.
If anyone has an idea if the E111 covers anything other than emergencies i'd be very grateful for some advice - the notes in the back of the E111 refer to prescriptions and seeing the doctor but i had thought E111 was for emergencies only.
John

[Anna]

>We have a friend staying for
>2 months from the Uk
>and unfortunately they have had
>an 'argument' with the low
>beam in our stairwell (very
>sore head!) visited local doctor
>who advised a scan at
>local hospital to be on
>the safe side...not an emergency
>as such but i am
>wondering if their E111 will
>cover this - he's been
>putting it off.
>If anyone has an idea if
>the E111 covers anything other
>than emergencies i'd be very
>grateful for some advice -
>the notes in the back
>of the E111 refer to
>prescriptions and seeing the doctor
>but i had thought E111
>was for emergencies only.
>John

I would have thought that, as your visitor had an accident and the doctor advised a scan, that this would be covered by the E111. In my opinion, this would be classed as emergency treatment and your visitor would be well advised to go ahead with the scan to be on the safe side. What do others, more knowledgeable than I, think?
Anna

[Owen]

Hello John,

You are not gong to get a definitive answer on this because the clinical circumstances can only be judged on an individual basis and secondly I do not think you understand the scope and limitations of the E111.

There are two factors

First of all it is really only valid for emergency treatment on a temporary visit to another EEA state and Switzerland. But that does not therefore mean that all the costs will be covered because, secondly, even in an emergency the funding of the medical treatment would be the same as for any other resident of France receiving the same injury So if that French resident had the treatment covered 70% by the state then your friends E111 would provide the same level of cover. This is the true nature of these reciprocal arrangements. My best guess, and it is only that, is that your friend can expect to pay at least 30% of the costs.

For those on temporary visits from the UK to EEA states and Switzerland the best level of cover is to be obtained by taking out a travel insurance and obtaining E111 too. All UK travel insurers will apply an excess to any claim. But many will waive the payment of the excess if a proportion of the treatment has been met by E111.

Regards

Peter Owen
pjowen@expathealthdirect.co.uk