Sunny_Days

I saw a UK Minister on TV yesterday say that from January 2021 the EHIC card would only apply to groups of people such as those with chronic conditions.

Yet, I read in The Times (on-line,27 December): "The 27 million people with a EHIC .....can still use it after January 1 until its expiry date"

Is it known what the French position is?

EuroTrash

Sunny_Days The "deal" says that the EHIC scheme ends on 31 Dec and will be replaced by a different scheme that seems to give the same benefits. (Have a look at page 1135 https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info..._agreement.pdf )
So what we need is details of the new scheme. Which I guess will have to come from HMG.
Maybe the plan is that countries will continue recognising EHIIC cards as entitlement to be covered under the new scheme for now, since there won't be any time before 1st Jan to produce and issue a new document.
Or maybe there will be a slight break in cover while the details are finalised and agreed.
I guess the government can't officially move forward on this until the "deal" has been ratified, which it hasn't yet.
It would be nice if they told people what the score is, but that's a bit much to expect.
Patience is a virtue, and it's good news that health cover for visitors will continue.

Listen Very Carefully

Sunny Days
Are you resident in France with an EHIC issued by virtue of an S1 or are you a visitor/holiday homer?

Sunny_Days

I am a visitor/holiday homer.

Listen Very Carefully

Personally I would look to ensuring that I had good comprehensive travel insurance The last thing you want is to be turning up at a French hospital and the fonctionnaire at the front desk doesn't like your EHIC because they are as confused as everyone else!!!

Scots in Treignac

I got this from a .gov. uk page that an image saying 3 days to go. (so its up to date "A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.

Your EHIC will continue to be valid if you’re travelling to the EU."

Then I followed the link to apply for a new card > START NOW and I got an NHS page which included

"

The UK has reached an agreement on healthcare when visiting the EU.

You can continue to use an EHIC or get a provisional replacement certificate (PRC) if you need treatment and do not have a card.

If you apply for a card now, you'll get a new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) instead of an EHIC. These pages and the application portal will still refer to EHIC until 4 January 2021."


There is a downside.

"

"From 1 January 2021, GHICs and most UK EHICs will not cover you in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland."

Scots in Treignac

assuming that the new GHIC is very similar to the EHIC, it would be good to hear from 2nd homers what provisions they make in case they need health care. Some of my friends in France don't bother with Travel Insurance. EHIC covers emergencies and for any other problems, they return post haste to the UK.

I have a policy through Nationwide building society (Annual Trip World wide), At £13 a month it was good value for the two of us.

However , there is now no longer the bonus of good interest rates on their current account and on reaching 70, I can only be on holiday for 35 days at a time. To make matters worse, the clock starts ticking the moment we leave home. Not much help for our drive and through England with a stop in Yorkshire and London to visit children and Grand children.

I had thought of just having an emergency pot of £3K to cover repatriation (or cremation in France).

cyrian

I also have a similar travel policy with my bank which covers up to 30 days at a time.
You can probably extend the period for an additional fee when required.
Have you checked which insurer provides the policy?
If so, check the insurers own site for their travel policy details if you buy direct from them.
The banks usually have a "cut-down" policy at a cheaper group price but you lose some of the benefits of the policy which you can buy direct.
If the policy you have at the moment does not cover your needs then it is cheap but not value for money.
I suggest that you shop around and find out what is available on the market and what the exact cover is offered on each policy.
You may find that by changing to another provider for a small increase in premium, you will get the cover you want.
You could also look at single trip insurance.
HTH

KJMW

Received my new EHIC from the U.K. yesterday complete with hologram Union Jack.

dmu

Bearing in mind what ET and others have said on the ongoing CPAM and PUMa thread, I'm a bit puzzled as to why you would need (and use) a UK EHIC card, since you're resident in France and not on a temporary visit (and in fact how they issued it, since you've lived here so long). You should get the CEAM card from your CPAM if you travel within the EU....

KJMW

Simply a mater of convenience. I applied for the card months ago when I read about it on the official government website. Didn't give a thought to the CEAM card. It gives exactly the same benefits as a CEAM card. You don't have to be a non resident or resident to have a UK card. It is the same thing.

EuroTrash

KJMW aren't you a UK state pensioner with an S1? If so that means the UK is responsible for your healthcare and that's why you get an EHIC not a CEAM.
As you say, if the UK is responsible for your healthcare it makes no odds whether you are resident or non resident, the EHIC is part of your UK healthcare entitlement. If you applied for a CEAM you would be refused because France won't pay your medical costs..

Brits who are living in France and are covered directly by CPAM because the UK is no longer responsible for their healthcare, get a French CEAM. If they applied for an EHIC they would be refused because the UK won't pay their medical costs..

It makes no difference to you, but it makes a lot of difference to CPAM and NHS budgets whether or not they pay for your healthcare!

KJMW

Just to clarify. I have lived in France for over twenty years. I belong to the French health care system (CPAM) The EHIC is available to all British citizens of which I am one. It gives exactly the same benefits as a CEAM card, in fact it is the same card with a different name! I haven't applied for a CEAM, and neither will I it isn't necessary. As for the budgets, your point is valid but the bottom line is that one or the other would have to pay if I needed treatment.

EuroTrash

Well unless you fit into one of the categories listed below, in theory you shouldn't have an EHIC..Being a British citizen does not on its own entitle you to one. But I'm not surprised they sent you one even if they shouldn't have . The NHS seems to have no systems whatsoever in place for checking who's entitled to what. It's no wonder it's in the state it's in.
Good on you @KJMW, you're saving CPAM a few much-needed euros https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/hea...nsurance-card/
Some people may still be able to get a new UK-issued EHIC.

You can apply if you're:

• an EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein citizen, and you've been living in the UK since before 1 January 2021
• a UK State Pensioner or receiving some other exportable benefits, and you have a registered S1 form or E121
• a frontier worker (someone who works in one state and lives in another) and you've been one since before 1 January 2021, for as long as you continue to be a frontier worker in the host state, and you’re eligible for an S1 form or E106
• a worker posted to work in another EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland by your UK employer, and you've been there since before 1 January 2021, where the country has agreed to let the posting continue
• an eligible family member or dependant of one of the above
• a UK student studying in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, and you've been there since before 1 January 2021

KJMW

Fortunately I do fit into one of the categories. Absolutely nothing theoretical about it or I wouldn't be eligible! As I have said, I don't need to apply for a CEAM card; it's the same thing.