Special for travellers: if you forget your European Health Insurance Card, there is another way out
With the holiday season in full swing and no quarantine restrictions on travel, travellers from Lithuania have flooded European countries. Many of them know that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) makes travelling in Europe safer, but even if you missed it, forgot to take it or lost it, there is a quick way out. Health insurance experts remind you that you can download a replacement certificate for your EHIC to your phone in just seconds.
"If a resident insured with compulsory health insurance (CHI) left Lithuania without taking his or her EHIC or lost it during the trip and urgently needed emergency medical care in a European country, there is a way to solve the problem promptly. Simply log in to the EHIC information system and generate a temporary replacement certificate for the EHIC. The traveller can download the certificate to his/her mobile phone, computer or tablet for both himself/herself and children. In order to be identified, the person needs to be logged in through the Electronic Government Gateway portal," says Neringa Šafranavičienė, Advisor to the International Affairs Division of the National Health Insurance Fund under the Ministry of Health (NHIF).
According to her, this service developed by the NHIF is gaining significant popularity. While last year almost 22,000 certificates were issued, this year - almost 29,000. By August this year, sickness funds had managed to issue more than 21.8 thousand certificates.
Like the EHIC, the certificate confirms a person's right to receive emergency medical care in the EU countries, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the cost of which is fully or partially covered by the sickness funds. This means that if you are injured or acutely ill abroad and present a certificate at a medical facility, you will receive emergency medical care according to the scope of care set out in that country, and will be paid for in accordance with the procedures and at the rates laid down by that country.
"If a person is unable to log in to the e-Government Gateway, order and download the certificate to their mobile device, that's not a problem. One can submit a completed application form to the territorial health insurance fund electronically or contact the local public health insurance office in the country where you are staying. This institution will contact the territorial health insurance fund of the Republic of Lithuania according to the person's place of residence with a request to send a certificate replacing the EHIC," advises Ms. Šafranavičienė.
It is important to know that if the insured person did not have either an EHIC or a replacement certificate when visiting European countries, he/she will have to pay for the costs of the emergency medical services provided. In this case, upon returning to Lithuania, one can apply for reimbursement to the Territorial Health Insurance Fund in one’s place of residence.
The NHIF reminds that both the EHIC and certificates are issued free of charge to Lithuanians insured with the CHI.
(Žygimantas Gedvila / BNS pict.)
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Your questions are welcome by email[email protected]or phone: local (8 5) 232 2222, international +370 5 232 222
Last updated: 25-08-2022
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