Emergency medical care in European Union countries

Under European Union (EU) legal acts, persons covered by public health insurance in one EU or European Economic Area (EEA) Member State are entitled to receive state-provided medically necessary healthcare during their temporary stay in any of those Member States. The cost of these services will be covered by social health insurance. This procedure also applies to visits to Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK).

EU Member States: Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Germany.

EEA member countries: Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway.

Other countries: Switzerland, UK.

Please, note that third-country nationals who are covered by social health insurance in any EU country are not entitled to these guarantees during their stay in Denmark, Norway and Switzerland, as these countries not apply the provisions of the regulations coordinating social security schemes to third-country nationals.

In order to exercise the right to free necessary healthcare services when traveling temporarily to the EU, EEA member states, Switzerland or the UK for tourism or other purposes, you must have a document certifying your entitlement - the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or certificate temporarily replacing the EHIC. When contacting a medical institution for necessary medical assistance, at the reception you need to present your identity document as well as the EHIC.

The EHIC certifies the entitlement of the insured person, staying in EU Member state other than the Member State where he or she is insured with the social insurance to benefits in kind which become necessary on medical grounds taking into account the nature of the benefits and the expected length of the stay. You can also get a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) proving your entitlement to medically necessary healthcare if you travel within the EU without your EHIC and need treatment during your visit.

EHIC holders are entitled to receive state-provided necessary healthcare at the same conditions and tariffs as permanent residents of the country visited (EU, EEA, Switzerland or UK). The persons insured with the Compulsory health insurance (hereinafter - CHI) in Lithuania have right to receive necessary medical care paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund (hereinafter - NHIF) in medical institutions belonging to the public healthcare systems of EU or EEA countries, Switzerland and the UK. This right does not cover healthcare provided outside the public health system, as well as patient additional payments (co-payments) and it does not cover reimbursement of transport costs if you have to go home due to an accident or illness abroad.

The benefits covered by the EHIC include, for example, benefits provided in conjunction with chronic or existing illnesses as well as in conjunction with pregnancy and childbirth. Necessary medical care is usually provided for an acute illness. The scope of necessary care is determined by the attending doctor. The doctor who provides healthcare services must take into account the expected duration of your visit to the Member State.

Services for chronic illnesses are provided if the patient requires ongoing care (e.g., dialysis services). If you know you will need dialysis or oxygen therapy, take care of this before you leave Lithuania. Contact the responsible health insurance institution or medical institution in the country you are traveling in advance, approximately 2 to 3 weeks before the trip, in order to arrange the treatment, you need. Be sure to find out if that facility accepts patients with EHIC and what additional documents (extracts from medical records, test results, etc.) you must have when applying for dialysis or oxygen therapy services.

It is recommended to take regularly used medicines from home, as they may not be reimbursed in foreign countries.

In many countries, emergency dental care is provided only for acute toothache.

In some countries (e. g., France, Belgium), firstly, you have to pay for out-patient services yourself, only then to apply to local health insurance institution for reimbursement. In many EU Member States, services provided by private healthcare providers practicing outside the public health system are not reimbursed.

Please, note that EHIC:

• is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property,
• does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment,
• does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different, services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country.

For more information about healthcare in the country you plan to visit, contact the state (compulsory) health insurance institution in that country.

More information about Necessary healthcare in EU.