jackytoo

The BBC's Matthew Price in Brussels says the EHIC is intended to give foreign visitors the same level of care in emergency cases as locals get.

But a British holidaymaker in Spain told him that when he went to hospital severely dehydrated he was told to give them his travel insurance details.

"When we were refused they were quick to ask for a credit card and then, at a later stage, insurance details. And when we tried to re-present the [EHIC] card to them, saying look this should work, they just dismissed it," holidaymaker Ray Burton said.
'Patient decides'
The Commission says it has had hundreds of such complaints concerning Spain. It says the much higher cost of private treatment is being passed on to the travel insurance companies "or, increasingly, is being billed to the citizens directly".

Among the complaints were ones from the UK Foreign Office and insurance companies in several European countries.


So the BBC is lying, the EU commission is lying, the FCO and insurance co's in SEVERAL EU countries are lying

me me

I would not mind betting that more people have been done over like this with the ECHI who have not reported the incident.

It happens with being robbed, especially with tourists as they have not got the time to sort things out.

My friend had her handbag dipped, she did not report it she was just glad to have her passport still in her possession and wanted to catch her flight home.

Dick Dasterdly

Without a doubt.

To my mind, taking advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable is about as low as it gets.

Having some experience of that myself way back in the days of the E111, I have a good idea how it feels, which is one of the reasons I feel so strongly about it.

agoreira

I've had the hire car broken into twice, never reported it, got better things to do than sit around police stations for hours knowing nothing will come of it. Hire company just smiled and gave me another car, it's happening all the time to them.

me me

A couple of stories that have affected locals in Spain, having to hand over money before being treated.

The British couple in the following article, although they had both had Spanish health cards and their baby was born in Spain, they had to pay at the hospital before their baby was treated for a high fever.

http://www.thelocal.es/20130515/brit...fever-in-spain


The second article is about a local Spanish lad.

http://www.thelocal.es/20130506/hosp...niless-patient

If the Valencia Health Authority are doing this to their own local people, why is it so hard to belive that it is not happening to tourists and visitors?

lynnxa

the second story.... it clearly says that the prosthesis isn't covered under the healthcare system

that doesn't excuse the way he was treated, obviously, in that they should have been warned beforehand &/or given the opportunity to pay gradually maybe

but a lot of things aren't covered under the healthcare system

as for the baby - I read that elsewhere & it beggars belief - apparently it's in the hands of lawyers

agoreira

I think it was JLFS that used to tell us his parents were paying several hundred euros a month for medicines that weren't covered. If you're unfortunate enough to need drugs that aren't covered, it can run into thousands of euros a year. Anyone considering a move that are on long term drugs might be advised to check they would be covered.

MaryJones

I agree that there are cases as reported above about patients being refused treatment with in the state system. We had one case a few years ago who was seen by us and a spanish private doctor who agreed that the gentleman needed emergency care. He didnt have either a EHIC or private insurance but we had hoped that the doctors in the hospital would care for him under the Samaritan law. Unfortunately despite involvement from both doctors, the hospital still refused to treat. In the end we treated him and he is now fine. He was a newly diagnosed diabetic and normally he would have been admitted to be stabilised.
But there are many more cases - two of which I have already had this morning, asking to use their EHIC with us. An email via our website, which clearly states that we are a private clinic, asking if they can use their EHIC. This is more a misunderstanding by the patients on the use of the card. Just because we are a British Doctor, then it is assumed that we are able to use british prescriptions and the EHIC. I wish that was the case but unfortunately not. A spanish person couldnt walk into a private clinic in the UK and expect to be able to use his EHIC.
British people are not used to the easy access we have to private clinics, here in Spain. Just in our small tourist town, we have 6 private clinics whilst the state clinic is in the next town, about 15 mins drive away. We have two private hospitals in the main tourist area, one is fully private and the other is public and private - but the public part can only accept patients into the NHS system if they have been seen in the centro de salud first. People turn up at the public hospital part asking to use their EHIC. Yes, they may get waved away but usually because they are being told that they must go to the centro de salud first. If they already been to a private cliinic, they wont understand the difference between everything.
Whilst in the Uk you may have a health centre in each town, with NHS branch surgeries in the smaller villages (maybe). One main hospital in the nearest larger town. Less but simpler. Private clinics, generally would be in the main cities.
I am not disputing that some spanish hospitals have misused the system but sometimes the blame can be from a misunderstanding or non explanation. The Spanish medical services are notorious (in our area anyway) for acting like Doctors used to in the uk, in the 60's - no discussion or explanation and horrified if a patient asks questions.
As is common in Spain, a law comes in or is changed and no one else is warned or its not phased in. Everything changes from that date - charges for treatment if no proof of paying into the system is found, for example. Pay now and claim later. Hence the surprise by so many that when they need a doctor, but stopped paying into the system 6 months ago, they cannot be seen.

me me

JLFS did make posts about a relative and prescription charges, infact we have several in the same boat, but it was not a parent.

It is not that their drugs are not covered, it is because working age people have to pay 50 percent of the cost of medicines prescribed by their doctor even for cronic conditions.

I went to pick up a couple of prescriptions for the a relative and the cost was over 90 euros, one of the drugs Ranexa was nearly 80 euros for a 28 day supply.

Neither of our parents returned to Spain to live, and they thought we were mad to consider coming here.

I know Spain held nothing but bad memories for them, they did not leave Spain by choice but through need, like thousands of others.

They did not look back at their lives in Spain with fond memories or have homesickness.

When asked why they did not want to go back to Spain to retire, their reply was always, "Spain is not for everyone, not even the Spanish".

Rawranavi

Hello. I wanted to share my terrible story. It happened in Ibiza this September (2013).
I got into car accident and my hand and toe hurt a lot so when POLICEMAN asked if I need an ambulance, I said I do. So he called ambulance, they came and brought me to a hospital. In the hospital, just like policeman, nobody spoke english!! They just gave me a form to fill in (name and basic info about myself) and asked for my passport.
Then doctor called me and checked me. He decided I need around 5-6 x-ray pictures... Okay, so they did that. Apparently, nothing was broken, so they just put some special tape around my hand. When I wanted to go, translator appeared and he asked me if I have an insurance. I said no and then they asked me to pay 690€!! When I said I don't have that amount of money, he gave me the phone and asked me to call my parents/friends and ask their card number!
When I said that this was an emergency and asked WHY I was brought to a PRIVATE hospital, he said "I don't know why they brought you here". I got seriously angry and refused to pay the money as NOBODY TOLD ME I had to pay and nobody even spoke English to me!!! And he said if I won't pay, "then we'll see you in COURT"!
Finally, he gave me a paper to sign that I have 90 days to give those money or they will SUE ME.

EFFING HELL!! I was robbed not only in a club (where they took my wallet with money and ID card) but also by a HOSPITAL which supposed to help me! I have no idea why that cop called the private ambulance... Is everybody corrupted in that F%^&*%% country? Tourists bring them so much money, but NOOOO, they need even MORE MONEY. Those people are DISGUSTING! I am disappointed of IBIZA. And I would offer for people to learn Spanish before going there. Cuz those people are taking advantages of foreigners.

When I got back home, I've checked if it's the nearest hospital from the accident place. Guess what? IT IS NOT. The public hospital was way much easier reachable and it was like 2km closer.

So my question is what the hell am I supposed to do and who's fault is it?????

cricketman

If you didnt have insurance or a European Health Card then you would have had to pay in any hospital, private or state.

If you had your EHIC card on you then you should have shown that at the hospital. If you did, and they still asked you to pay, then they are in the wrong. I would refuse to pay.

As for not speaking English, you were in Spain, they speak Spanish here

EMR

Fancy that being in a foreign country where not everyone speaks English, what is the world coming to.
The poster clearly was not suffering from a serious injury ( hurt toe ).
HMG makes it clear and does so on a regular basis that EHIC treatment can only be assured if you go to a public hospital.
It also suggests that travellers take out insurance.
Did the previous poster have insurance or was he one of those who assume that someone else should pick up the bill !
ONLY AN IDIOT TRAVELS WITHOUT INSURANCE.

Rosemary

Welcome to the forum.

It is very important to take out holiday insurance and also to carry you EHIC at all times as this would ensure that you did not end up with owing any money. As for people having language skills I suspect that if you worked in a hospital in the UK that you would not be able to speak Spanish, Italian, German, French or any other language in order to help tourists and yet you are demanding that the people working in hospitals in Spain and Ibiza do. Strange attitude.

Rosemary

Rawranavi

Okay, people. I get it that in uk not everybody can speak spanish or other languages, but in Ibiza, where there are more english speaking people than spanish-speaking ones??? Seriously? And what about the attitude - it's not me, but spanish people in Ibiza who has it. They are ignorant and rude to foreigners.

What about my "little wounded finger", just so you know, it was such car accident that there was nothing left of the car I was in. And I was in shock also. Ambulance MUST come and check people after such accident.

What is more, even if I didn't have insurance, in PUBLIC hospital prices are lower! And it is unfair in any way for policeman or ambulance (whoever's idea it was) to bring foreigner from an accident place to a PRIVATE hospital.

EMR

It not my fault , its everyone elses.
An all too frequent response these days.
Even in a public hospital without insurance or and EHIC you would have had problems.