Cards anyone?

[pheran]

Just received my European Health Insurance Card (the E111 replacement). Thought these weren't due until next year but mine is valid from 1 September. Accompanying documentation refers not to EC or EU countries but to the European Economic Area. Have I missed something?

 

[cjepearson]

Did you get the actual card, or just another version of the paper E111. I understand from the Post Office chappie that once you have made the application, the card will be issued in the fullness of time, but not before 1st Jan 2006. These are now issued for individual members of the family, and not one per family as before.

 

[pheran]

The actual plastic cards, one for me and one for SWMBO. We already had the interim (2005 only) E111 substitutes and always had separate E111s anyway. Could the administrative machine actually be ahead of the game? Or perhaps there's been a raffle and we are lucky prize-winners!

 

[cjepearson]

Amazing, isn't it, to think that someone is actually ahead of the game!! Next thing you know, some bright spark will want us to have ID cards, and carry them about. Imagine that-how silly.

 

[Thrall]

My family's set of cards arrived in the post yesterday - astonished to see only Icelandic on them. Apparently the front is standard format for all countries, but the reverse can contain anything your country wishes to put on it - and all in your native tongue. Valid forthwith but only for two years, so is someone nervous about the scheme?
NB: Iceland is not in the EU.

Daði