As the summer holidays approach , the choice of your destination becomes more and more precise. Like many French people every year, you may decide to go abroad .
Depending on your country of arrival, the cost of your treatment may vary significantly. Before your departure, it may therefore be interesting for you to carry out some administrative procedures , in anticipation of a possible health problem .
We will tell you more about the European health insurance card , an essential document to certify your rights and facilitate your care process.
What is the European Health Insurance Card?
The European Health Insurance Card ( EHIC ) is a document that allows its holder to prove that he benefits from rights from the French Health Insurance .
Thus, if you go on vacation in Europe and fall ill, your medical care is covered, according to the legislation and formalities in force in the country that welcomes you.
Also note that only the care necessary during your stay will be counted. They must then be of an urgent or unexpected nature .
How does the European health insurance card work?
If you encounter health problems during your stay, you simply have to present your EHIC or your provisional replacement certificate to benefit from the coverage of your care.
Depending on the legislation and formalities in force in your host country, you have two scenarios:
- you do not have to make any advance for your medical expenses;
- you must advance your medical expenses and request their reimbursement on the spot from the social security organization of your place of stay.
If you have prepaid your expenses, but have not requested reimbursement, or if you have used private medicine , you can potentially be reimbursed once you return to France.
To do this, collect your paid invoices , as well as the proof of payment , and send them to your health insurance fund . You must attach form S3125 “Care received abroad” to your file .
Reimbursement will be made on the basis of the rates in force in the country where your treatment took place. If you report it on the S3125 form, you can choose the reimbursement according to French law .
How to get a European health insurance card?
To benefit from coverage, you must apply for your European health insurance card from your health insurance fund. In order to receive it on time, it is recommended to carry out this process at least 15 days before your departure .
Since 1 st July 2014 , the EHIC is valid up to 2 years , within the term of your rights to health insurance.
It is important to note that the European Health Insurance Card is registered . Therefore, if you are traveling with your family, it is imperative that each member applies for a card. The children under 16 years are also affected by this health document.
When making your request, no supporting document is required. You can do this in various ways:
- by Internet, by logging into your Ameli account ;
- by telephone, by calling 36 46 ;
- on site, by going directly to a reception point of your health insurance.
If your departure could not be anticipated or if you took the necessary steps too late, you can request a provisional replacement certificate from your health insurance fund. The latter is valid for 3 months and allows you to benefit from the same rights, under the same conditions.
Where to use it?
As its name suggests, the European health insurance card is valid in the states of the European Union and the European Economic Area, but also in Switzerland .
To date, the European Union has 27 member states : Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta , Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
Please note: the application of European law is no longer valid in the United Kingdom since December 31, 2020.
The European Economic Area , on the other hand, has 3 member states : Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Before your departure, it is important to find out about the state of health of the country you are about to visit. Likewise, remember to check the amount of medical expenses that could be borne by you.
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