EHIC's hidden probelm

My adult son, who speaks reasonable Spanish, is visiting Spain. Last week he had an accident resulting in a completely severed tendon on the front of his ankle.    EHIC , passport etc. off the ambulatoria and then on to the Hospital.  They reasonably efficiently treated him, without charge..  However, he is now required to self-inject an anti-coagulant each day for at least 21 days. 

The moral of this:   He must buy the injections at 8 euros a day, which although he may be able to re-claim when he returns to UK,  such a situation might be very problematic if the medications were even more expensive and/or the patient was of limited funds.

If he keep all the documents relating to this accident and costs he should / would be able to get these back from his travel insurance, the same if someone were of limited funds, claim of travel insurance phone them and explain the situation they can, and will forward funds to cover these costs.

I did not post to find out how my son might recover the costs involved but to warn people that having an EHIC may not be the answer, especially if one has limited funds.   For example if the cost of medications were to be very high would the average holidaymaker be able to put their hands on this funds !

Probably only through their personal insurance.  Or perhaps through enquiries of the consulate?

I really don't understand why anyone would want to rely on a EHIC .....it is plain and simple it is for emergency treatment only...if you require long time care or flying back to the UK ..you need to take out private holiday insurance to cover it..... One of my neighbors has been living in Spain for over 10 years ...he is under retirement age so should have private insurance ... he did not have any ...he had a bad fall and went to hospital they initially treated him on the EHIC thinking he was a holiday maker  ....when he went back to the Spanish hospital 2 week's later for treatment again they refused and told him to go and see his doctor in the UK or pay for private care in Spain.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/countryguide/Pages/healthcareinSpain.aspx

What about people who are virtually uninsurable? My partner has several chronic illnesses. I tried to get cover from an insurance broker. The cost quoted for 1 weeks travel insurance was £400! Therefore we have to rely on the EHIC.

I think that you have all missed the very important wording of the EHIC. You will be treated in an emergency THE SAME WAY AS A NATIONAL In Spain after leaving hospital under the above circumstances you have to buy heperin at the price quoted. If you are a pensioner you then see your G.P. and get a prescription and then get 90% plus back. If you are under pension age you pay the full price the same as a 'local'.

Here in Spain we have a much better system than in the U.K. in so far as if you can not prove that either you are a 'resident', have an EHIC or have travel insurance then you will not be treated. Why can't they do the same in the U.K.? As other posters have said if you can't afford the treatment or whatever else might happen whilst on holiday at home or abroad either take out insurance  or don't go. If you can afford to buy flights, accomodation, food and drink etc. BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE when you book and stop asking others to get you out of your own self inflicted financial problems. Sorry folks rant over.

As far as another comment made by the original poster I take issue with the comment " They reasonably efficiently treated him, without charge.. ". I have unfortunately been treated in both countries and I can catergoricaly state that the treament given in Spain is infinitly better than that offered in the U.K. I even know of cases where someone was treated in Spain and then had to see a doctor in the U.K. and that doctor stated that the patient would not receive the same expertise in the U.K.  I rest my case!

I have lived in Spain 30 years during that time I have had many experiences with the medical services. Often that has been a good experience, but just to quote a couple:

 Over a period of almost three years when I complained of symptoms, both at GP level and with several consultants at hospitals, both Social Seguridad and private, they failed to discover I had cancer of the colon..  It was eventually diagnosed on a visit to UK and I was treated.

Over a period of 6 weeks I visited the Accident and Emergency unit three time with what I believed was Deep Vein Thrombosis (I had had it a couple of times previously so knew the symptoms). It was on the third visit I was diagnosed and admitted.

EHIC also covers,  some routine matter such as, repeat prescriptions, blood tests for anti-coagulant Warfarin / Sintrom) uses etc. so not just emergencies.

Steone: from your individual experience, you can catergoricaly state that as a fact, the Spanish health system is infinitely better than the UK NHS? How pathetically naive and ridiculous. Read the Spanish press as well as the Brit tabloids to get a more balance & informed view before making such ludicrously sweeping statements. For all it's faults, the NHS is still one of the best free health services in the world (along with the Spanish system). 

Many make their judgements based upon firsthand experience which for those who are relatively healthy and haven't needed to use the health system to the same extent as others, they tend to rely more upon reporting and political persuasion when making their judgements, so an open mind is necessary when coming to any conclusions under those circumstances.

On the other hand, for those who have experienced more serious health issues and depend upon the health system to a far greater extent, then if reporting is to be believed, the UK system can be a postcode lottery depending on all manner of circumstance ....lifestyle, social structures, education with regard to healthy living, smoking and drinking habits, incentive to exercise, affordability to eat a balanced diet, external pressures which affect health service funding ( a sensitive issue given those areas under growing pressure from swift influx of people, etc), centralisation of specialist care centres and proximity to research and educational establishments,  administrative competence, availability of specialised staff, etc ....  

All manner of aspects to consider within each country ( and region for that matter), so generalisations tend to ignore the complex nature to this subject.

Jarve:-    What about people who are virtually uninsurable?

In a perfect world OK one is better to have travel insurance but as you say, some of us have conditions which render that all but impossible.   

My sons and grandchildren when visiting me, despite having private cover,  have used their EHICs several times without problems (other than the potential problem of expensive medications) 

I may be cynically, but I believe that when one is going for any type work/service covered by private insurance,  there will always be something found which incurs a bill, it's their business.  Whereas the NHS type service will only 'find' things which really do need attention.

A while ago when I had private health cover, I beieve I had a prostate operation 'for finacial reasons' i.e. for the benefit of the conslutant that is, not because I needed it.

My wife had a  dental free check up on her private cover. The dentist recommend about 2,000 € worth of necessary treatment.  I took her to a dentist I know well, he said no treatment was required.

So now we are at the point of the UK EHIC is no good because it wont pay for medication after the event, the medical private health cover will whip out body parts to cover the doctors new boiler, looking like the dentist needed a service on his car......

Best you come over here then we fix the whole bloody world up for free....If you can get booked in that is.

Here's an educative article dated April 2017 titled "EU citizens seeking UK residency face health insurance hurdle", which might go some way to explain the differing systems in the UK and Spain and the need for Comprehensive Sickness Insurance.

https://www.ft.com/content/b1c556d6-2048-11e7-a454-ab04428977f9

It appears that "The UK rules on CSI originate with the EU, which demands that all European migrants take out extra insurance so they do not become a burden on their host country." and "The reason the UK has this problem is that the National Health Service is free for all at the point of use, whereas most European countries have insurance-based systems that require everyone to contribute to the cost of their care."

The article identifies

"The Home Office says that the “easiest way to demonstrate Comprehensive Sickness Insurance is through a valid European Health Insurance Card for temporary migrants issued free of charge by [a European Economic Area] member state other than the UK, or their own Comprehensive Sickness Insurance policy”.

Financially self-sufficient migrants “have always been required to demonstrate that they have comprehensive sickness insurance”, while students have been since 2011."

...  "Home Office officials privately acknowledge that asking applicants to provide sickness insurance may seem onerous, but since it is a requirement under EU law, they have no choice but to enforce it. They argue that not doing so would be a breach of free movement rules."

Could it be argued that if insurance is reqd in a temporary migrants own country then it should also apply for them in the UK?

After all is said and done, and which has been mentioned on here,  if you can afford the air fair, any type of lodgings, maybe a car hire, spending money, how can you be of limited funds in a strange country.

Jarvi:    What about people who are virtually uninsurable? My partner has several chronic illnesses. I tried to get cover from an insurance broker. The cost quoted for 1 weeks travel insurance was £400! Therefore we have to rely on the EHIC.

I guess Jarvi is someone who can afford a cheap package holiday but not the insurance.

Last time went to the Far East the insurance quote for a three month trip, coupled with the excess charges I would have had to pay, and items which would not be covered, made cover not cost efficient.  

Many bank accounts in the UK offer a high level of travel insurance as part of their packages, which includes long haul destinations.

look into your bank accounts (nat  west advantage gold for instance).  Some of these may be useful for consideration. 

Many bank accounts in the UK offer a high level of travel insurance as part of their packages,

But not available to non UK residents and they too have stringent restrictions (as the cover is provided by insurance companies)  so only able-bodied, customers under a certain age can take up the offer.  And restrictions too for existing medical conditions.

Been there, done that  ......

As with most things check the small print as don't  pre-existing medical conditions have to be declared for insurance to remain valid, even if something occurs during travel period requiring treatment not necessarily connected to  a pre-existing condition?

Or do the insurance companies consider this in a different light? In other words can you be covered for all treatment not associated with existing conditions but take on the risk of having to pay for anything connected to the pre-existing condition as and when required?

But not available to non UK residents and they too have stringent restrictions (as the cover is provided by insurance companies)  so only able-bodied, customers under a certain age can take up the offer.  And restrictions too for existing medical conditions.

Been there, done that  ......

I'm sorry, i thought the thread was concerned with EHIC questions and extended stay insurance when considered from UK residents.

If it is then consider your bank account options, you may find your covered over a full period of your stay, and if you have answered all your insurance questions correctly and honestly you could find your covered, worth looking into I said.

If your not a UK resident or have particular medical conditions, I reckon you should try asking questions outside this particular thread?