European Health Card

Many people have this already, so please ignore this reminder.

It's just that last year, we were in the 3Vs with a group, there was a minor accident, and neither the young lass, who dislocated a thumb, nor her partner had, and had not heard of the EHC. For the monor accident, the EHC would have sufficed, and saved a lot of bother going through the insurance routine, and foregoing the first amount of excess cost.

So, there may be some other people that are not aware of the EHC. It takes the place of the old EH111.

You can apply online, (the quickest way) or phone, or go to the post office. You can go through:

https://www.ehic.org.uk/InternetRes/home.do

and for some good background info:

We hope we don't need it, but we should all have it. The EHC is a credit card size.

Ski well, ski safe.

http://www.know-insurance.co.uk/travel/info_advice/ehic.htm

Good advice Dave - I'm constantly beating people around the head about this (well not literally - but you know what I mean).

Dave....

not THE Dave mac, but also a Dave McK :D

It also has an expiry date, so check yours is current before you travel. Renew online, just done mine.

Unfortunately, in the 3V ski area, an EHIC, though valid, is likely to receive a "non" as will several million £ of travel insurance cover. However, cash will do nicely if you get picked up by piste recovery and taken to a clinic for minor treatment (minor=broken bones, cuts etc). However if you have decided in advance to purchase the French insurance Carte Neige as an extra insurance on your lift pass, this should suffice. You don't need to, but can otherwise expect to be held without treatment until the cash turns up.

Personal experience :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Thanks for the advice - didn't know about expiry date so have just renewed online which took about two minutes.

bandit wrote:

It also has an expiry date, so check yours is current before you travel. Renew online, just done mine.

Jings, and hoak ma boabs!

I was such a smarty pants in raising the issue. I'm glad that you responded bandit, after reading your post, just checked ours, and we were about to go out-of-date. :oops:

Renewed now.

Let that be a lesson to you all!!

On your other point bandit, I read the small print on the EHIC website, by country. Of course, it isn't just the 3Vs that operate a protectionist racket, it seems to be policy in France.

From the French page:
"Before making an appointment with a doctor or dentist make sure that they are registered with the state healthcare provider in France (conventionné ie). ‘Conventionné’ practitioners can fall into either of the following two categories:
Secteur 1: practitioners who charge the official social security rate or
Secteur 2: practitioners who charge an extra fee on top of the official rate
Doctors
You must pay the doctor directly. The doctor then will fill out a treatment form (feuille de soins) and a prescription if necessary. The treatment form is necessary to claim any refunds. You can claim back around 70% of the standard treatment cost. The standard rate for a consultation with a general practitioner is 21 Euros and 25 Euros for a consultation with a specialist. These charges are non-refundable in France but you may be able to seek reimbursement when you are back in the UK (limited to the equivalent cost on the NHS"

Austria looks to be quite a bit fairer, more certain:
"You will be treated on the same basis as a resident of Austria. Remember, each country’s health system is different and might not include all the things you would expect to get free of charge from the NHS. This may mean that you have to make a patient contribution to the cost of your care. You may be able to seek reimbursement for this cost when you are back in the UK if you are not able to do so in Austria (limited to the equivalent cost on the NHS).
It is important that you ensure that you are treated by a state healthcare provider as you will not be covered for private healthcare. You should be particularly careful if the healthcare arrangements have been made by a hotel or travel representative."
Doctors
"Treatment will be free of charge as long as the doctor has a contract with one of Austrians regional health insurance offices (Gebietskrankenkasse). In all other cases, you'll be charged. However, you can claim back some of the treatment costs (maximum 80%) from the 'Gebietskrankenkasse'. The 20% is non-refundable in Austria but you may be able to seek reimbursement when you are back in the UK (limited to the equivalent cost on the NHS)."

Yes, the French Social Security system for medical care is quite different to the UK one. If you have decent travel insurance, most places, a call to your provider can get most of the cost of your care covered.

In the 3V you will almost certainly be taken straight to a private clinic where they can charge anything they like. If I should ever find that I am put in the same position in France, I will ask for the British Consul's assistance, as I was effectively held against my will (with a broken collarbone) and repeatedly harrassed until I coughed up 550 euros cash. To do this I gave my bank card and PIN to another person to go to a cashpoint. The clinic refused to accept valid insurance, cheque, credit card, debit card, E111....
I could not go to the cashpoint for myself, the clinic took my boots away.

As an aside, the medical diagnosis and care was very poor IMV, and the business practices of that clinic was well known to my UK travel insurer.

I'm certain that there are other clinics which provide better service, but if you are injured you don't get a choice, and are delivered into a system designed to relieve you of your money.

There, I feel better now, really I do :evil:

Thanks for that info I have just checked mine and it runs out 1st feb 2009.