European Health Card: what it is for and how to apply for it
If you plan to travel to any country in the European Union, especially if you are going to stay there for some time and not only enjoy yourself as a tourist for a few days or weeks, you are probably interested in discovering what is known as European sanitary card, what it is for and, above all, how it is possible to request it easily.
It is an ideal option to receive public health care in the EU member country you are traveling to, in the same way as if you were an original citizen of that country.
What is the European Health Card? What does it consist of?
It is a card that provides the possibility of accessing public health careduring a temporary stay in any of the 28 Member States of the European Union, in addition to Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein, which is necessary for medical reasons.
In this way, the person who has this card can enjoy, under the same conditions and at the same cost of public health care, as the insured persons in that country. In fact, we must bear in mind that in some countries health care is free.
These cards are issued by the Social Security offices of the country of origin of the person who is going to travel, and it must be taken into account that it does not guarantee that the service can be free (especially if in the destination country it is not), no It is an alternative to travel insurance and does not cover expenses if you travel exclusively to receive medical treatment.
Yes, the European health card will not be used to receive medical assistance in the new country if you transfer your usual residence. In these cases, it is necessary to register in the so-called S1 form, which consists of a certificate that recognizes the right of the citizen to receive scheduled medical treatment in another country of the European Union.
How can we apply for the European Health Card?
We must take into account from the outset that, in order to be entitled to the European Health Card, it is necessary to be previously covered by a state social security system in any Member State of the European Union.
Once this point is fulfilled, the request can be easily carried out from the Social Security Electronic Office, or by going personally to any Social Security office.
However, if you do it through the Electronic Office, once you access the Web page, you must complete a form where all personal data will be displayed.
When the form has been completed and sent, The European Health Card will be received at your home within a period not exceeding 10 days. But if you need the Card before that deadline (for example because you need to travel before), it is possible to request a Provisional Substitute Certificate, which is valid for 30 days and will be as valid as the Health Card. This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor.
