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16-05-2023

Relevant for Lithuanians abroad: what do you need to know about health insurance guarantees when living and working in European countries?

Iliustracija

The insured persons in the European Union, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland Confederation and the United Kingdom may use their health insurance guarantees when visiting another European country. What are they?

It’s worth having a European Health Insurance card

Lithuanians, who live and work in another European country and are covered by social insurance in one of these countries, should, when planning to travel temporarily to another European country, such as Lithuania, make sure that they obtain a document confirming their insurance – a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a certificate replacing it temporarily, which will be issued by a competent body of the European country in which they are insured.

“In case of medical emergency, while holding this card or certificate, the costs will be paid in full or in part by a competent body of the country that issued the card or certificate. Therefore, foreign Lithuanians insured in European countries, who are acutely ill or have suffered an injury, can be assured that if they present this card to a medical institution, medical assistance will be provided in accordance with the scope of medical care established in the country of treatment, and the services of emergency medical assistance will be paid for in accordance with the procedures and rates established in that country”, - emphasizes Aušra Kačinskaitė, Advisor of the Population Service Division of the Klaipėda Territorial Health Insurance Fund.

Right to the reimbursement of costs for cross-border healthcare

Insured persons from the countries of the European Union (EU), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway also have the right to cross-border healthcare services in another country, such as Lithuania. Patients can choose their own healthcare provider, whether private or public, and pay for the costs of the services they receive at their own expense. For the reimbursement of these costs, they have the option of contacting a competent body in the country where they are covered by social security.

“It is important to remember that countries have chosen different reimbursement methods for cross-border healthcare. For this reason, we recommend that anyone, planning to travel to another country for treatment or examination, first should check the reimbursement procedure for cross-border healthcare in the country where they are insured,” says A. Kačinskaitė.

For example, there are countries that require the insured person to obtain authorization from his/her competent social security body before travelling abroad to receive healthcare services, as reimbursement of cross-border healthcare may be refused.

All information on cross-border healthcare services and reimbursement procedures must be provided by the National Contact Centre for Cross-Border Healthcare, in the country where the person is insured.

To whom and when is the document S2 issued?

Health insurance funds remind that if a person is sent to another country to receive specific planned medical treatment, taking into account his/her state of health and the course of his/her illness, he/she must obtain the authorization of the competent institution of the country where he/she is insured before departure - document S2 or a certificate of form E112.

For people who present this document to a medical facility in the EU countries as well as in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, the healthcare services are free of charge and the costs are covered by the facility that issued the permit (S2 or E112), according to the rates set by the legislation of the country of treatment.

Klaipėda Territorial Health Insurance Fund information

(Freepik photo)

The NHIF invites you:

Last updated: 29-05-2023

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