The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has almost completely replaced the foreign health insurance certificate (Austrian: Auslandsbetreuungsschein) since 2006. It has uniform characteristics across Europe, such as the EU emblem and the arrangement of the text fields. There is a right to all medically necessary services in accordance with the requirements applicable in this country. Not only emergency treatments are covered, but also ongoing care for chronic diseases such as diabetes or AIDS. Regulation (EC) No. 631/2004 regulates the details.
In Germany, too, those insured with a private health insurance company generally enjoy insurance cover throughout Europe, but this may be limited in time depending on the tariff.
scope
The European health insurance card is valid in all countries of the EU and the European Economic Area, i.e. Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway but also Macedonia and Serbia, for the use of services within the framework of the respective state health system. For diseases in Bosnia Herzegovina Sometimes the procurement of a local treatment certificate is required. The French overseas departments also belong to the EU, but not the Faroe Islands-Islands, the European dwarf states (except Liechtenstein) or the Channel Islands. In Greenland Emergency treatments are generally free of charge.
When traveling to Great Britain it is valid, but not necessary; Everyone there is entitled to free emergency care, something that will probably not change even after this country has left the group of European states.
Services in other foreign countries
- Countries with social security agreements
Foreign health insurance cards, which allow medical care in Tunisia, Turkey and, to a very limited extent, Morocco and Israel (only pregnant women) for Germans, are still available.
Austria has similar agreements with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Turkey.
- For Germans according to § 18 SGB V
There is a very limited reimbursement option for those insured in the FRG according to the aforementioned “may” provision of Section 18 SGB V. It is important when traveling to Kosovo, Albania, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.
Validity period
For those insured with a statutory health insurer in Germany, the EHIC is usually printed on the back of the eCard (with photo) that has now been introduced across the board. The card should be signed.
Cards issued in Austria, which are chargeable as eCard, are valid for ten years for pensioners aged 60 and over, and five years for other compulsorily insured persons, with special rules for children.
Acceptance problems and reimbursement
A possible cost sharing depends on the regulations of the country where the person is being treated and may have to be paid directly on site.
A distinction is to be made between this and the “private treatment.” In some countries, Spain[1] and Slovakia are mentioned more often because doctors in private practice refuse to treat patients without prepayment. This does not have to be a problem, the corresponding expenses can be submitted to the insurance company for reimbursement upon return. It should be noted that the German health insurance company will only reimburse the statutory German standard rates and that only if the receipt is accurate diagnoses (mostly ICD 10 coding required).
In Austria, only eighty percent of the advanced amounts are reimbursed.
A patient repatriation from abroad to the FRG is generally not covered by the health insurance company. Mountain (air) rescue in Austria is also not reimbursable.
- Dental treatment
Dental care is included in principle, but the health insurance companies in the following countries do not or hardly cover it (as of 2017): Denmark (few exceptions), Estonia, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania (100% of material costs), Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden (3000 SEK co-payment, over 50%), Switzerland, Slovenia (up to 90% co-payment)
Web links
- German liaison office for health insurance abroad there are also country-specific leaflets
- Federal Ministry of Health (FRG)
- European Health Insurance Card (Austria)
- ↑Some German insurers and local health insurance companies have concluded cooperation agreements with Spanish private clinics, so that you can be treated there if necessary. Details will have to be obtained from the hotline of the respective cash register.