Had not ordered health cards as we have never taken them abroad but after reading these posts am starting to panic.

Ordered them today online but we are flying on Friday.

Whats the chances of them arriving and what happens if they don't?

Will our insurance cover any medical matters?

I ordered my parents online and they were there within a couple of days so you could be ok.

Thanks Glynis

If not we are still covered for illness/hospitals via our insurance aren't we??

Because we're going to seaview in Port des Torrent Ibiza and reports of salmonella poisoning are coming left, right and centre.

Hi erincc ... you would have to check the terms of your travel insurance policy to see if there are any conditions regarding use of the EHIC.

If the cards don't arrive in time, you should ring the EHIC Enquiries Line (not the application phone line) on 0845 605 0707 so that alternative arrangements can be put in place. They may supply you with an emergency telephone number which you could use in the absence of the cards, should the need arise while you are on holiday.

David

Thanks David

Will do.

Our cards arrived in the post today It's amazing how many people travel without the cards or the previous E111.

erincc

Just in case your EHICs fail to get to you in time ( they really should make it though).

If you are able to either get to a post office, for a hard copy, or look on the DH website then page 12 of the Health Advice for Travellers booklet explains what information you need to have available to get cover in the case of an emergency and what number to call.

We have issued over 20 million EHICs now and they still going out a million a month. Online orders though should still only take a week to process and are often turned round quicker than that.

Cards have arrived!!

What an amazing turnaround,only ordered them on Monday lunchtime.

Brilliant!!

Brilliant !!!

The corrrect site for applying for EHIC online is http://www.ehic.org.uk. The card and the service are free.
Beware of http://www.ehic-card.com. This is a commercial site that looks like the real one until they ask for a £15 fee.

Our son was taken ill twice in one night whilst staying at Anfi Del Mar in Gran Canaria. The second trip out of three required the use of a private ambulance to San Augustin - about 25 miles away. What was initially thought to be a heat related ailment turned out to be a soft tissue injury to his lower back caused by an accidental kick 2 days earlier in a swimming pool.
Anyway the EHIC was absolutely useless. The only "NHS " equivalent was in the next town a mile away but I was informed that there could be a language problem. Thank God for private insurance - that is the first thing that is asked for by even the ambulance drivers (the same happened when my mum collapsed with a fit in Menorca several years ago).
The EHIC seems only to be of ise of use in places such as the Republic of Ireland where they have an equivalent Health Service.
If you attend a hospital or clinic as an out patient all bills are paid for up front - mine were done by credit card - and you claim of the insurance.

The EHIC seems only to be of ise of use in places such as the Republic of Ireland where they have an equivalent Health Service

Hi Helen ... that is not strictly true. Some of our members have received excellent healthcare in Spain and other countries, under the EHIC's reciprocal healthcare arrangements.

But acceptance of the card varies, not just within certain countries, but within certain resorts. The Department of Health does warn that in some cases, you may have to travel some distance to find a doctor or clinic which will accept the EHIC. Obviously that is no good in an emergency situation, and this is another reason why it should never be regarded as a substitute for a good travel insurance policy.

However, with many of those insurance policies, it is a condition that you also must have an EHIC and that is why we have to keep on pushing the fact that holidaymakers should have both, so that they are fully protected.

It must have been a very worrying incident for you, I hope that he has now made a full recovery.

David

Thanks for the info, David. My insurance company has asked for EHIC copies even though we didn't use them. Most of the clinics on Gran Canaria seem to be private Scandinavian ones except for the hospital we attended in San Augustin which was the Clinica Roca.
Michael is fine now apart from the odd twinge in his lower back. It's a shame he didnt remember beig booted in the pool earlier. The doctor did ask but he was a bit out of it at the time!
It's amazing how much agro a kick in the bum whilst swimming can give!
Helen

Hi Helen ...

My insurance company has asked for EHIC copies even though we didn't use them.

It's perhaps fortunate then that you had the EHICs, even although you didn't use them, as the insurer may possibly have rejected your claim if you were unable to produce them.

Glad to hear Michael is feeling better, even if not yet fully recovered.

David

Still filling out the paperwork, David. Because we attended 3 different clinics/hospitals and the cause of the illness wasn't immediately obvious, it's taking forever. They even want details of the family health plan that I have with my work! Hoping that they will give me a refund as the entire business cost nearly EU1000! Now THAT'S an expensive night out!!!!
I would have used the EHIC but because the cause of the pain was not immediately obvious (eg like a broken arm etc) I was advised ti remain with the private clinics due to there being a poss language barrier at the local "NHS" hospital. As for the hospital dash, the ambulance drivers didn't really give us a choice. I think that they decided against the Puerto Rico one which I assumed was NHS as they felt Clinica Roca were better equiped to deal with the problem.
Helen

Just to warn people that if anyone uses a search engine to find where they can obtain an EHIC they need to take care.

I can confirm the Department does not use premium rate phone numbers to either offer the EHIC or advice on how to obtain the EHIC.

All the phone numbers and URLs previous mentioned in this thread are fine.

I would just like to say how glad I am that I took our EHIC cards to Cyprus on our recent holiday. My husband was involved in an accident and was taken to Larnaca general where he had to stay overnight. When they asked for insurance details, I showed his card and he was treated for free including a prescription to take away. I could not fault the treatment he was given, although the hospital was very busy . This saved us from paying out money and then having to claim it back in the UK from our travel insurance.

Please does anyone know if its still possible to get these online as the link in the forum no longer works and the information phone number given on a search to what appears to be an official government site is a premium £1.50 a minute number.

thanks
Lynn

Think this link will help you get one

https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do

fwh