FAQs - Health cover for temporary stays
Is there a full list of the types of medical care and treatment covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?
No. The EHIC covers any necessary medical care or treatment which can't be postponed
until you've returned from your stay in another EU country.
Who decides if a medical treatment is "necessary"?
The healthcare provider will determine, taking into account your medical condition
and the length of your stay, whether a given treatment is necessary and can't be postponed
until you return home.
My national health insurer didn't give me an EHIC. Instead I was issued a Provisional Replacement Certificate. Does this document give me access to the same medical treatment as the EHIC during a temporary stay abroad?
Yes. The Provisional Replacement Certificate proves your entitlement to the same rights
as the EHIC. However, insurers should not make it a routine practice to provide a
replacement certificate instead of the EHIC. The Provisional Replacement Certificate
should be issued when exceptional circumstances prevent the issuing of an EHIC, such
as if your card is lost or stolen when you're already abroad, or if you're travelling
abroad at a too short notice to issue the EHIC.
Do I have to have travel insurance in addition to the EHIC?
No. You are not obliged to have travel insurance when traveling within the EU. However,
the EHIC will not cover private medical healthcare or costs such as mountain rescue
in ski resorts, lost or stolen property or repatriation. Therefore, if you would like
to be covered for such risks, you may want to take out travel insurance in addition
to your EHIC.
I am a non-EU national and I pay social security contributions in an EU country. Can I have the EHIC?
Yes. If you're covered by a statutory sickness scheme in an EU country and plan to travel
to other EU country you are eligible for the EHIC. There is only one exception: non-EU
nationals cannot use their EHIC in Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
or get an EHIC if they are insured there.
I'm pregnant. Can I use the EHIC for my routine prenatal care checks in another EU country? Does it also cover me if I plan to give birth abroad?
The EHIC covers all medical checks and care related to your pregnancy, including unplanned child birth (for example, if you unexpectedly go into labour
while on a trip abroad).
I have a chronic illness for which I need to see a doctor regularly. Can I use the EHIC for this type of medical care during my temporary stay abroad?
Yes. If you have a chronic medical condition (such as diabetes, asthma, cancer or a need
for dialysis) you're entitled to treatment that is considered necessary, taking into account your medical condition and the length of your stay. Please bear
in mind that for any treatment for which specialised equipment or staff is needed
(such as dialysis, oxygen therapy and chemotherapy), you should get a prior agreement
from the healthcare provider before you travel abroad. You should also be aware that
the EHIC does not entitle you to scheduled treatments, i.e. it does not cover your
medical costs if the purpose of your trip is to seek treatment.
Last checked: 06/11/2023