EKUZ, in other words, the European He alth Insurance Card is an EU document that en titles you to use he alth services during your stay in the European Union countries. Why it is worth trying to get an EHIC, explains Artur Fałek, a doctor and expert at the Advisory Office Rafał Piotr Janiszewski.
Anna Tłustochowicz: What is the European He alth Insurance Card? When is it worth getting an EHIC?
Artur Fałek:EHIC confirms that we are en titled to he alth benefits in a country other than our own. Most often, we apply for a card when planning a vacation, and it is really worth doing so that in the event of an accident or sudden illness, we do not face the cost of treatment.EHIC is an EU document, so it is issued to citizens of all member countries . We are talking about an individual document. Issued on a specific person.
Like a passport.
EHIC is in the form of a plastic card. It looks like a credit card.
If we fall ill during the holidays, we will have to show this card in the hospital?
Exactly, because she confirms that we are en titled to benefits. If something happens to us, if we suddenly fall ill, then we go to the he alth care facility in the country where we are at the moment and we should receive help there on the same terms as it is provided to local citizens. It is important that the treatment we need is necessary and unplanned!
We broke our leg while skiing?
Yes. Of course, it is wiseto additionally insure yourself before leaving,because, for example, a fracture you mention may involve various types of problems. In the hospital, yes, the fracture will be treated, but our ability to travel, for example, may be impaired, right? We may require medical transport that is not covered by the basic insurance, which is the EHIC.
When planning a trip, it is really worth anticipating various situations that are not pleasant, which does not mean that they do not happen.
I also recommend visiting the NFZ website and reading how there is an organized system of care in the country to which we are going to travelhe alth. This information is really well prepared, described in an accessible way. You can learn a lot. Of course, on the NFZ website you will also find information on how to obtain the EHIC.
How?
In five ways: you can go to the branch and apply, do itvia EPUAP and IKP or send it by traditional mail or e-mail.Sam recently, before going on vacation, I applied application for an EHIC and I chose the third way. I just went to IKP and clicked the appropriate button. Very simple.
How long did you wait for your card?
About a week. The card came in the mail. On the other hand, the friends with whom we traveled together joined the NFZ branch and received their cards on the spot.
In stock?
Yes! Of course, especially at the time of travel problems, there may be queues, butgetting an EHIC is really easy.One would like all matters in the National He alth Fund to be handled equally efficiently (laughs).
Please tell me, if we broke the said leg in Austria without having an EHIC and we received an invoice at the hospital, could we then apply in Poland for a refund for such an expense?
Theoretically yes. In this case, we will be treated commercially in the hospital and we will actually receive an invoice for the treatment. In the country, we can then expect an administrative division and I am not sure if the patient will be successful in the end, because having a document confirming the right to benefits is in no way our duty.
One thing is for sure: if we do not have a card, we will be treated commercially and dealing with ex post reimbursement is more of a problem than getting the card.
Does the card guarantee that we will receive treatment completely free of charge?
It is not exactly like that.The EHIC card guarantees that we will be treated in the same way as local citizens.So if they pay 5 or 10 euros for a doctor's visit, or the stay in the hospital is associated with a person-day fee, then we will also have to pay such fees. That is why, before leaving, it is really good to read about the organized he alth insurance system in the country you are going to.
So far we have talked about going on vacation, but some people go abroad to work.
This is a very important thread!Not in all EU countries, the EHIC protects accidents at work.Although they are sudden, unexpected and unplanned, they are related to work and sometimes separateinsurance dedicated to such events. Yet another story is going abroad specifically for treatment. Scheduled treatment.
When the disease is a threat to life or he alth, and there is no possibility of rescue in the country, we have to apply to the President of the National He alth Fund for consent to such a trip and payment for treatment, right?
Yes. This is a separate, big and probably important topic.
To sum up today's considerations: I appeal to our readers to make sure that they obtain the EHIC card before going on vacation.
What is its validity period?
The card used to be valid for only one year, butnow - for working people - it is already three years.In the case of children, a document issued once is valid until they reach the age of majority, while for pensioners the validity period is 20 years.
Expert
Dr. Artur Fałek, doctor
He is an expert of the Rafał Piotr Janiszewski Consulting Office in the field of the organization and operation of the he alth care system, the operation of state administration, legislation in the field of he alth care, and an expert in the field of reimbursement and drug management. He worked in the Ministry of He alth as the Director of the Department of Drug Policy and Pharmacy (2007-2015), previously as the Deputy Director (2007), in the National He alth Fund Headquarters as the Director of the Drug Management Department.
From 2005 he was a member and from November 2007 the Chairman of the Drug Management Team. He is the author, co-author of many organizational solutions and legislation in the field of pharmacy and drugs, he was a Deputy Member of the Management Board at the European Medicines Agency; Senior Project Officer in the "Transparency of the National He alth System Drug Reimbursement Decisions" project (2007-2008); was a representative of Poland in the work of working groups at the European level.
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