European Health Insurance Card – change from 1 May 2010
It is an objective of the European Commission to facilitate the movement of people, workers and pensioners, to move freely within the European Union.
To encourage this free movement people who are linked to the Social Security System of any State can receive healthcare in any other Member State at the cost of the home State.
A part of this system is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which entitles a person to necessary healthcare in the public system of any EU/EEA member State and Switzerland, if they become ill or injured while on a temporary stay in that country
Due to a change in European law, from the 1st May 2010 responsibility for issuing the EHIC will no longer rest with a persons state of residence.
Under the new law the Competent State (the State where a person is paying to or benefiting from the Social Security System) will be responsible for issuing the EHIC for persons resident in another EU/EEA State.
In practise this means that the HSE will have to issue the EHIC for all Irish insured persons or pensioners and their dependant’s resident in other member States, e.g. a retired person receiving a contributory pension from the Department of Social Welfare but who lives in Spain would up to now have their EHIC issued by the Spanish authorities. From 1 May 2010 the EHIC will be issued by the Irish authorities.
If a person within another EU/EEA State who is linked to the Social Security System in Ireland wishes to apply for the EHIC they will find all the necessary information at the following web address www.ehic.ie .
For further information please contact euregulations@hse.ie.
