A campaign to explain how the cards should be used was launched in Alicante by David Pennington, Head of the Department of Health’s International Healthcare Team.
“Many British citizens living in Spain are confused about how to access state healthcare and many use their EHIC cards when they should be accessing healthcare in another way,” said Pennington. “This campaign explains who can use a UK-issued EHIC and what it is for. It also tells people about other ways to access state healthcare in Spain, depending on their circumstances.”
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The UK
European Health Insurance Card should be used to access medically-necessary state treatment during the course of a temporary stay in Spain. It does not provide access to all state treatment but for those in Spain on a temporary stay it is the correct way to access state healthcare.
However, British citizens who mainly live in Spain should change the way they are registered, because for them the UK European Health Insurance Card is not the correct form of
health cover (the new EHIC marketing and advertising campaign will explain how to do this).
The campaign will also inform administrative staff of the Valencia Health Authority how the UK covers its citizens in Spain and how the UK reimburses Spain for the cost of medical care provided to British citizens.
Comprehensive information on the use of EHICs is available at:
www.healthcareinspain.eu.
Eighteen public talks on the new health card will commence in Denia 27th February and also in Orihuela Costa 28th February. Further details are available on the website. Additionally, an extensive radio and newspaper advertising campaign will further promote the correct use of EHICs, with leaflets to be distributed at health centres and public events.
Some two million British tourists visit the Valencia region every year and there are an estimated 300,000 British residents in the region represent some 40% of the total in Spain. Although the campaign is taking place in the Valencia area, much of the information is relevant and of interest to British citizens across Spain.