EHIC renewal

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gerryh
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EHIC renewal

Postby gerryh » Sun Jul 05, 2020 8:25 am

Noticed that our UK issued EHICs expired in February.
I believe as we live in Spain, both pensioners, and because of Brexit? we now have to apply for our cards here in Spain.
Is this correct?
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costakid
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby costakid » Sun Jul 05, 2020 8:51 am

Are you a Spanish resident?

elusive
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby elusive » Sun Jul 05, 2020 8:58 am

No Gerry. You get them from the uk as your healthcare is paid for by the uk via the S1.

You only get them from spain if your work here.

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quebin
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby quebin » Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:21 am

Phone number for renewal +44 300 330 1350

markwilding
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby markwilding » Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:38 pm

I have a Spanish one. Last week I renewed mine. As my Gestor has my digital signature, I just inputted my ID number and other basic information online and received it in the post today. All very nice and simple.

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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby Miro » Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:58 pm

In the eventuality that the UK decides not to be part of the EHIC scheme after the end of the year, will UK pensioners currently resident in Spain be able to get one from the Spanish SS? Their rights as EU citizens are supposed to protected, but I'm not sure how this will work.
And also, what about Spanish residents in the UK? If the UK is no longer participating in the scheme and therefore not issuing the EHIC, how will a Spanish resident in the UK get one if he/she wants to travel to, for example, Germany? (Asking for a friend!)
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby El Cid » Mon Jul 06, 2020 5:41 pm

It’s called travel insurance. Easily available. There might be a reciprocal deal but why should there be. It’s not a big issue and the UK government advice has always been to not rely on the EHIC and buy personal travel insurance.

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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby Free at Last » Mon Jul 06, 2020 6:14 pm

Miro wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:58 pm In the eventuality that the UK decides not to be part of the EHIC scheme after the end of the year, will UK pensioners currently resident in Spain be able to get one from the Spanish SS? Their rights as EU citizens are supposed to protected, but I'm not sure how this will work.
They won't need to get one from the Spanish SS, Miro. Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, UK pensioners with an S1 who are registered as Spanish residents before 31 December 2020 remain entitled to a UK-issued EHIC card for use in other EU countries (not Spain or the UK) for as long as they remain resident in Spain (but not if they move to another EU country). I renewed mine in April this year and it is valid for 5 years. The person I spoke to at the DWP in Newcastle when applying for the new EHIC card confirmed this.

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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby Miro » Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:21 pm

Thanks for not answering my question Sid.
So, until and unless we hear that the UK will definitely continue to participate fully in the EHIC scheme, from what you're saying FAL, my understanding is that the UK will issue EHICs to UK pensioners already resident in the EU and receiving their healthcare via the S1 agreement, and also to EU citizens already resident in the UK - but not to UK citizens resident in the UK! (This is actually confirmed in the very last paragraph here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/health ... ance-card/)
What a very bizarre set of circumstances that would be.
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby El Cid » Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:48 pm

My point was that the benefits of an EHIC are less than the travel insurance that is recommended by the UK government and offers advantages over an EHIC, so to me it doesn’t seem to be much of an issue. OK if you have loads of exclusions on your travel insurance then an EHIC would cover those.

If you have private medical insurance that usually covers any travel.

For retired expats travelling to the UK you have full access to the NHS anyway without an EHIC.

Sid

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peteroldracer
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby peteroldracer » Tue Jul 07, 2020 8:19 pm

travel insurance seems to rapidly becoming for the young and for short trips. We have had excellent annual European cover until we started taking longer trips - and our 70th year disappeared in the rearview mirror. Cover for two of us for a 90 day stay became over €450, or more than the airfare! Our health in the UK is covered as Cid says by the NHS and we have our own caravan to stay in so no hotel cancellations to worry about. I now follow my late ex-father-in-laws mantra - if you can afford to pay out for when things go wrong, and if they don't go wrong often you will save a packet!
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby Free at Last » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:50 am

Miro wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:21 pm
So, until and unless we hear that the UK will definitely continue to participate fully in the EHIC scheme, from what you're saying FAL, my understanding is that the UK will issue EHICs to UK pensioners already resident in the EU and receiving their healthcare via the S1 agreement, and also to EU citizens already resident in the UK - but not to UK citizens resident in the UK! (This is actually confirmed in the very last paragraph here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/health ... ance-card/)
What a very bizarre set of circumstances that would be.
But why would it be bizarre? An agreement has been reached which protects the rights of EU citizens already resident in the UK, and UK citizens resident in EU countries, by the end of the transition period. For everyone else, things change. That's what the majority voted for, no?

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peteroldracer
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby peteroldracer » Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:35 am

"That's what the majority voted for, no?" Nobody knew what they were voting for though, did they?
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katy
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby katy » Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:43 am

Here we go, that old chestnut.

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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby katy » Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:47 am

El Cid wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 5:41 pm It’s called travel insurance. Easily available. There might be a reciprocal deal but why should there be. It’s not a big issue and the UK government advice has always been to not rely on the EHIC and buy personal travel insurance.

Sid
True, you may not be allowed to travel back for months if serious. Also some countries health services have co. Payments. I know France and Germany does so even with a EHIC there can still be hundreds of euro to pay.

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peteroldracer
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby peteroldracer » Wed Jul 08, 2020 11:33 am

katy wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:43 am Here we go, that old chestnut.
Doesn’t make it untrue though...people voted for what they thought was on offer, but nobody really knew.
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby Miro » Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:13 pm

I understand that for many, the EHIC has limited value.
I also know that for others, as POR points out, travel insurance can become prohibitively expensive and exclude any pre-existing conditions (the ones you're most likely to need help with).
To me it's a bizarre situation because my Spanish friend here in the UK will be able to take a trip to, say, France with an EHIC (issued by the UK) to cover him for the possibility of some mishap whilst away, but I would have to take private insurance were I to go with him because the UK won't issue me with the same cover.
It's not an old chestnut, it's an ongoing one, because it's simply a fact that nobody thought they were voting to have fewer rights than EU citizens living in the UK! Only gradually are we learning the full implications, and probably will still be years from now.
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katy
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby katy » Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:26 pm

Oh well if you want to start another Brexit argument carry on Maybe some of you with derangement syndrome should join better for Britain site or similar :crazy:

markwilding
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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby markwilding » Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:34 pm

Hi Miro,
I would like a clarification on your point about your Spanish friend. My interpretation is different. Let's say that the system isn't extended after this year, I think your Spanish friend, living a working as a resident in the UK, would not be covered by the scheme but as a a UK citizen living and paying tax here, I would be able to use the system on visits to other EU counties but obviously I would not be covered in the UK.

Basically, I think It's the country which issues the card which matters not the nationality of the holder but Is this right?

Edited, Having a look at my card, I can't see any reference to my being a UK citizen.

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Re: EHIC renewal

Postby Pamela1 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 4:08 pm

I think for many people the Ethic has tremendous value and it's only when the realisation of it being possibly lost will many people realise what that means...I do hope that there will be an agreement to retain it. I have used mine once during a hospital visit to A & E. Upon returning to the Uk i received an email from the hospital asking for my National insurance number etc probably so they could claim for the consultation and xray i had..All very straight forward which i know never ever is with insurance companies..


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