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EHIC confustion leaves tourist stranded - ITIJ
08/09/2008
Mind The Gap Year urge you to read the below regarding European Health Insurance Cards (previously E111) and what cover they do/don't provide:-
EHIC confusion leaves tourist stranded
Peter Carter (66) and his son
had only been in Ireland for a matter of hours when he fell down a flight of stairs and as a result
of the fall, suffered a broken neck, head injuries and extensive bruising. He has since lost
sensation and movement down one half of his body.
Mr Carter had not taken out travel insurance
for his trip because he thought the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) would cover the cost of
any treatment he needed. And he was right – the EHIC has covered the cost of the hospital treatment,
but he and his family found out too late that it will not cover the cost of repatriation.
His son
Richard said: “I spoke to the British Embassy and to the Foreign Office and they are going by the
book. They’re saying if there’s no travel insurance, then there’s no repatriation.”
The case,
which has been reported in the Irish media, yet again serves to highlight the fact that the
government must do more to educate the public about the anomalies contained within the EHIC. There
is significant confusion over what it will and will not pay for. The fact that the rules differ in
different European nations is hardly helpful either, meaning there are thousands of holidaymakers
abroad right now who think they are covered in the event of an accident, which may be far from the
truth.
