EHIC card. Is it worth having it with you abroad?

Contents

The EHIC card is an essential piece of every traveller's luggage, why? Because it is thanks to the EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card) that you will receive medical assistance within the public health care system on the same terms as people insured in the country you are travelling to. The card is free of charge, and if you are flying out of Chopin Airport, you can get the card immediately before departure.

The EHIC is an EU document confirming your right to medical services. With the EHIC, you have the right to receive necessary and unplanned treatment within the public health system of a given country on the same terms as its citizens.

As the National Health Fund reminds us, it is important to remember that the scope of medical care financed under the EHIC may differ in individual countries. If in a given country the patient covers part of the costs of a visit to a doctor, you will also have to cover this part.

See also:

• 

The European Health Insurance Card provides basic health care in EU countries as well as in EFTA countries such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

And what about Great Britain and Northern Ireland? After Brexit, people with an EHIC can still use healthcare services under the current rules during a temporary stay in the UK.

The National Health Fund reminds that the European Health Insurance Card is issued for 3 years to people employed or running a business. Children and young people who are entitled to the EHIC will receive a card valid until they turn 18. The EHIC for pensioners who have turned 60 for women or 65 for men will be valid for 20 years.

You can submit an application for an EHIC:

The point is located in the public area C, departures level and is open from Monday to Friday* from 09:00 to 15:00. The card is issued free of charge. According to the National Health Fund, in addition to issuing the EKUZ card, the National Health Fund advisors can:

• confirm your trusted profile, i.e. electronic identity, which allows you to handle many official matters without leaving home
• help fill out the questionnaire in the Prevention 40 Plus program
• encourage a permanent change in eating habits thanks to the NFZ Diet portal
• suggest which preventive programs financed by the National Health Fund you can use.

Are you spending your vacation in Poland? Check out the Patient Rights Ombudsman's vacation guide and learn about your rights.

See also:

•