European Health Insurance Card gains in popularity

A recent survey shows that over 190 million EU citizens now hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), allowing them to get emergency healthcare when travelling within the European Union.

The number of EHIC holders has been steadily increasing: 15 million more citizens have a card compared to last year.

The Card entitles a person to receive emergency treatment in the host country's public healthcare system on the same terms and at the same cost as nationals of that country. it is issued for free by thenational health insurance provider in the home country and cannot be used to cover planned treatment in another country.

Experience with the Card is generally positive: in the vast majority of cases, patients presenting the EHIC receive the necessary healthcare and are reimbursed without any problems.

An app has now been developed which gives information about the card, emergency phone numbers, treatments that are covered and costs, how to claim reimbursement and who to contact in case of loss.It covers 27 EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It is available in 24 languages, with the option to switch from one language to another.

For the app: European Health Card application