UK residents at the moment are in a position to apply for a UK World Well being Insurance coverage Card (GHIC), the federal government has introduced.
Below Britain’s new settlement with the EU, UK residents’ rights to emergency and medically obligatory healthcare will proceed when travelling within the area.
This consists of medically obligatory remedy for a pre-existing or power situation.
Present European Well being Insurance coverage Playing cards (EHIC) are legitimate so long as they’re in date and other people can proceed to make use of these when travelling to the EU.
The general public solely want to use for his or her new GHIC when their present EHIC expires.
Each playing cards will provide equal safety for emergency and medically obligatory healthcare wants when within the EU on a short lived keep, which incorporates vacation, examine and enterprise journey.
The brand new GHIC card is free to acquire from the official GHIC web site.
Individuals ought to apply at the least two weeks earlier than they plan to journey to make sure their card arrives on time, the federal government mentioned.
Minister for well being, Edward Argar, mentioned: “Our take care of the EU ensures the fitting for our residents to entry obligatory healthcare on their holidays and travels to international locations within the EU will proceed.
“The GHIC is a key factor of the longer term relationship with the EU and can present certainty and safety for all UK residents.”
Cowl for emergency and medically obligatory healthcare is a part of a wider healthcare settlement struck with the EU that may see continued cooperation on healthcare for UK residents.
If a UK resident is travelling and not using a card, they’re nonetheless entitled to obligatory healthcare and will contact the NHS Enterprise Providers Authority (NHS BSA) (which covers the entire of the UK), who can organize for fee ought to they require remedy when overseas.
EU member state EHICs will proceed to be accepted by the NHS.
Commenting on the brand new system, Rory Boland, Which? journey editor, mentioned: “The launch of the World Well being Insurance coverage Card is nice information for customers after we warned holidaymakers in Europe may face eye-watering medical payments if a reciprocal healthcare settlement was not a part of a Brexit deal.
“Now we have seen and reported numerous unscrupulous copycat web sites charging folks to use without spending a dime GHICs, so anybody trying to apply should stay vigilant and solely use the official NHS web site.
“It is very important bear in mind the GHIC covers fewer international locations than the EHIC, so travellers ought to test they’ll use it earlier than going overseas.
“We’d additionally advise holidaymakers to nonetheless purchase journey insurance coverage as quickly as they guide a vacation, so they’re lined for different points that will come up corresponding to cancellations and misplaced baggage.”
Extra Data
There’s extra data on making use of for a GHIC card here.
