Important Facts You Need To Know About EHIC Card

People all across the globe and especially those residing in EU are now well aware of the EHIC card and its benefits for the residents of EU. This card has now been made mandatory for almost all the citizens who are above 16 years of age. This card is of special importance for those who need to travel frequently to foreign lands. This card allows the cardholders easy access to free medical facilities and treatments in the foreign lands in any of the countries across EU and also others included in the list. The travellers need to keep this card with them so that they may avail of the relevant benefits at the state-provided healthcare facilities during their temporary stay in the foreign lands. Here are some of the most important facts about European insurance card that you surely need to know about this card.

Issuance authority

It is to be noted that European insurance card or EHIC, in short, is issued by the relevant national health insurance provider at the given place. Thus you may obtain this card from the given authorities and avail of all the associated benefits.

Totally different from travel insurance

It is also an important point that you need to keep in mind about the EHIC card. Many people misunderstand or mistook it as travel insurance and take it granted for their travel insurance. It is to be noted that this card is totally different from travel insurance. It is just health insurance card that offers you medical benefits and facilities in the foreign lands at reduced costs or totally free-of-cost. It doesn’t serve as an alternative to travel insurance in anyways and doesn’t cover any costs of flights or travelling in anyways.

Aimed at offering medical benefits while travelling

It is worth noting that European insurance card definitely offers you medical benefits while travelling. However, it is not meant to offer you any benefits if you are travelling for the sole purpose of getting medical treatments. It means you are not allowed to use this card to get medical treatments free-of-cost or at reduced prices by travelling to other foreign lands. It can just be used if you happen to fall sick or symptoms of some disease flare-up suddenly while travelling. Thus you always need to keep in mind that this card is meant to benefit you in terms of medical facilities during travelling and not in a pre-planned way.

Benefits vary for different countries

Though you are entitled to get medical facilities in foreign lands during travelling with the help of this card however the healthcare benefits offered by this card may vary from one country to the other. It means you may receive varying medical facilities in different countries or different foreign lands aided by this card. As an instance, in some countries, you may get totally free-of-cost medical facilities for certain treatments while in some other countries they may charge you some amount of money for the similar treatments.

By keeping all these points in mind, you may use your EHIC card in the best manner possible.