The card allows you to access state healthcare services in most European nations. Here’s all you need to know about the free travel document
Brits eager for a sun-soaked European trip this summer are being reminded to snag an indispensable card at least a fortnight before they jet off. This cost-free card opens doors to complimentary or discounted medical care while gallivanting abroad.
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), succeeding the erstwhile European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), is an essential bit of kit for voyagers. Although hearty encouragement still goes towards nabbing travel insurance, the GHIC lets globetrotters tap into state healthcare services across most European countries.
The NHS spells it out: “The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.”
For those clasping a still-in-date EHIC, it’s good until its last breath. Once it’s kicked the bucket, a fresh GHIC needs picking up.
Remember, getting your hands on a GHIC through the mail could take a fortnight, so it’s savvy to apply with bags of time before your planned departure, reports the Liverpool Echo.
How to get one sorted
If you’re living in the UK, then you’re in the running for a GHIC, and you can include family members on your application. When you’re signing up, be ready to provide:
- Your full name
- Address
- Date of birth
- National Insurance number
- Health and Care number (for Northern Ireland residents)
Each member of the brood needs their own card. You’ve got the chance to throw in your partner and littluns when you’re filling out the form.
Kick-start your journey by registering your personal details, then follow the prompts to request extra cards. If there’s a need to add more family members later, just reach out to NHS Overseas Healthcare Services with your reference number, full name, date of birth, and address ready.
Upon application submission, expect a confirmation email from the NHS within a day confirming your approval status; don’t forget to check your spam just in case!
They may need more information or documents before giving the nod.
If a trip is looming and you’re cardless but in need of urgent healthcare abroad, worry not – simply ask for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) to tide you over.
Using Your Card Abroad
Flaunt your shiny card for all necessary state-provided healthcare while overseas, which can’t be delayed until you’re back on British soil – known as “medically necessary healthcare”. This includes:
- Emergencies and A&E admissions
- Management or standard care for ongoing or pre-existing conditions
- Routine maternity care, as long as you’re not going abroad to give birth
Routine maternity care – provided you’re not jetting off specifically to have your baby elsewhere.
For treatments like dialysis or chemotherapy, give the health service in your destination country a heads-up to ensure they’ve got space for you. Local capacity can be an issue, after all.
The call on whether treatment is medically necessary is made by the healthcare provider in the country you’re visiting.
Healthcare provided by the state isn’t always free outside of the UK. You might have to fork out for treatments that are free on the NHS if a local resident would be expected to pay in the country you’re visiting.
Before jetting off, it’s wise to research the state-provided healthcare services in the country you’re visiting and any potential charges you might face.
You can find information on how to access treatment in the country you’re visiting by checking the relevant country guide on GOV.UK.
However, a GHIC (or EHIC) card does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like:
- Medical repatriation (being flown back to the UK)
- Treatment in a private medical facility
- Ski or mountain rescue
For this reason, the NHS recommends that you also have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip. A UK GHIC can be used when visiting:
- A country in the European Economic Area (EEA)
- Montenegro
- Australia
- Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
- St Helena, Tristan and Ascension
If you’re one of the following, you can use a UK GHIC:
- A British national
- A Swiss national
- An EU citizen
- A refugee
- A stateless person
- A family member of someone who holds one of the above nationalities or statuses
The UK government is in talks with various countries to broaden the applicability of the UK GHIC, so it’s always wise to verify coverage prior to your journey. For further details, visit the NHS website here.