Health insurance

[rjcoles]

Come all fools day next year the EHIC may not be valid and us cruisers may have to provide our own insurance. Assuming the worst happens, do you have any recommendations for an insurance company that will cover sailors over seventy with pre-existing conditions in the med at a reasonable cost?

 

[Tranona]

Come all fools day next year the EHIC may not be valid and us cruisers may have to provide our own insurance. Assuming the worst happens, do you have any recommendations for an insurance company that will cover sailors over seventy with pre-existing conditions in the med at a reasonable cost?

There is no suggestion that the EHIC will no longer be available - in fact the opposite as the government has made it quite clear right from the start of this saga that it will continue even if the form changes whatever the "deal" is.

What you are looking for does not exist - at least the "reasonable cost" bit. You will find that even the specialist yachtsmen travel type insurance will require you to use the EHIC service first. Over 70s and pre existing conditions is not the sort of thing insurance companies want to cover!

You will find much discussion and information on this subject in the thread below.

 

[jordanbasset]

Come all fools day next year the EHIC may not be valid and us cruisers may have to provide our own insurance. Assuming the worst happens, do you have any recommendations for an insurance company that will cover sailors over seventy with pre-existing conditions in the med at a reasonable cost?

Useful article here
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44850972
With Brexit currently expected on 29 March 2019, what is likely to happen to EHIC provision after that date?

The UK and the EU have reached agreement in principle that there should be a transition period between 29 March 2019 and 31 December 2020 to allow more time for negotiations on the future UK-EU relationship. During the transition, or implementation period as the UK government prefers to call it, all EU law will continue to apply in the UK. That would mean that citizens would have exactly the same rights and guarantees as before - so, you'll still be able to use your card...
What happens after the transition period in 2021 and beyond is not clear, as this will be decided as part of the negotiations on the future EU-UK relationship.
In the Brexit White Paper published on 12 July 2018, the UK government said it wanted "UK and EU nationals to continue to be able to use the EHIC to receive health care should they need it while on holiday"...

'What if there is no deal?
A House of Lords report in March 2018 warned that "in the absence of an agreement on future relations that covers this topic, the rights currently enjoyed by 27 million UK citizens, thanks to the EHIC, will cease after Brexit".
If the UK left with no deal at all, then there could be attempts to put some kind of emergency measures in place for UK citizens or to agree reciprocal deals with individual EU countries but it is impossible to say at this point what the outcome might be.'

 

[macd]

What if there is no deal?

If there's no deal, this is what the EU says will happen on all matters related to travel, healthcare included: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/brexit_files/info_site/travelling.pdf

In the longer term, there is currently going through Parliament a bill to enable funding for health measures for travellers. So it's clearly HMG's intention to preserve EHIC, or something like it, although there may be a hiatus in the event of no deal.

 

[Graham376]

If there's no deal, this is what the EU says will happen on all matters related to travel, healthcare included: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/brexit_files/info_site/travelling.pdf

In the longer term, there is currently going through Parliament a bill to enable funding for health measures for travellers. So it's clearly HMG's intention to preserve EHIC, or something like it, although there may be a hiatus in the event of no deal.

The EU stated position with no Brexit deal is - UK nationals will not be able to access healthcare in the EU-27 on the basis of EHIC as of the withdrawal date.

Has anyone applied for an EHIC in their new country of residence?

 

[Tranona]

The EU stated position with no Brexit deal is - UK nationals will not be able to access healthcare in the EU-27 on the basis of EHIC as of the withdrawal date.

Has anyone applied for an EHIC in their new country of residence?

No doubt this was on the agenda in cabinet yesterday, but probably not as exciting for newspaper headlines as "3500 troops on alert" and "booking space on ferries for emergency medical supplies" or even "UK government now largest buyers of fridges in the world - to store medications".

 

[macd]

Has anyone applied for an EHIC in their new country of residence?

The only EHIC we can apply for, as UK national pensioners resident in the EU27, is a UK one. (Entitlement comes bundled with S1 heatlhcare.)

 

[greeny]

The EU stated position with no Brexit deal is - UK nationals will not be able to access healthcare in the EU-27 on the basis of EHIC as of the withdrawal date.

Has anyone applied for an EHIC in their new country of residence?

Yes 18 months ago i got mine in portugal because as i was resident and tax payer in portugal i could no longer obtain one from uk until i reached retirement age. very easy and it took 2 hours (most of it waiting time to go forward to the desk). They gave me a temporary paper and the the new card arrived one week later to my address.

 

[Graham376]

Yes 18 months ago i got mine in portugal because as i was resident and tax payer in portugal i could no longer obtain one from uk until i reached retirement age. very easy and it took 2 hours (most of it waiting time to go forward to the desk). They gave me a temporary paper and the the new card arrived one week later to my address.

Where did you go to apply?

 

[greeny]

Where did you go to apply?

Application can be made at the local social security office (Centro de Segurança Social), or at the nearest Citizen's Shop (Loja do Cidadão).
https://www.heyportugal.com/index.php/life/health/26-european-health-insurance-card

I got mine from the Lagoa office and most of the time was spent waiting in the queue but I sat in the coffee shop next door and kept my eye on the digital queuing display through the window. Lady at the counter was very helpful and the process quick.

 

[Graham376]

Thanks Greeny. I'll look at getting it sorted after Christmas.

 

[macd]

Graham (and anyone else): my understanding is that an EHIC is issued by the country that insures you. ("Insures" in this sense is as in National Insurance or, in some countries, specific state healthcare insurance. In other words, the country to which you've paid contributions). For most of we British liveaboards, even if formally resident in another EU country, that would make the UK the only competent authority to issue an EHIC.

Obviously that could be different for anyone actively and legitimately working, or with a history of same, in the EU27. I don't know one way or the other, but it may also make a difference if permanent residence has been granted (which normally takes several years).

It's also the case that even non-EU nationals can acquire EHIC eligibility:
"People from non-EU countries who are legally residing in the EU and are covered by a state social security scheme are also eligible for a card. However, nationals from non-EU countries cannot use their EHIC for medical treatment in Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland." https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=563&langId=en
Post-Brexit Brits would, of course, be non-EU nationals.

 

[Graham376]

I always understood EHIC to be issued by country of residence which technically I think is where one spends 183 days or more. I will try to obtain EHIC card by presenting permanent residence and Fiscal cards, and see what happens. Being a citizen, my wife can obviously get one. Main problem I see is when sailing over the border if no cover as, in my 70s, insurance is crazy price and better spent on beer

Even as a resident, access to health care in Portugal seems a bit hit and miss. We were in the queue at Faro Centro de Saude and a Portuguese woman visiting from Lisbon area was told to go home and see her own GP. Although I had seen Dr. there before I was refused and told to go to Alges (where I'm registered with GP) or, emergency at Faro hospital and wait up to 20 hrs - people think the UK is bad! Excuse for both of us was they were too busy with their own registered patients.

 

[macd]

insurance is crazy price and better spent on beer

A wise policy.
It reminds me (if I may digress) of an old friend's GP in Co. Cork. Like many small practices, it shared its waiting room with another business -- in this case, a bar. You can imagine the exchange:
"Next patient, please".
"S'alright doctor, I'm already feeling much better".

 

[nortada]

Yes 18 months ago i got mine in portugal because as i was resident and tax payer in portugal i could no longer obtain one from uk until i reached retirement age. very easy and it took 2 hours (most of it waiting time to go forward to the desk). They gave me a temporary paper and the the new card arrived one week later to my address.

So, Greeny, my understanding is, as a Portuguese resident, rather than a UK EHIC, currently, you have an EHIC issued and backed by Portugal?

From your post, you suggest, once you receive a UK state pension and obtained a S1, you would get an UK EHIC as an addition to your Portuguese EHIC?

Question why would you bother to get an UK EHIC (or even a S1)?

If you require medical support in Portugal you would use the Portuguese Health Service; if abroad in the EU, including the UK, if required you would use your Portuguese EHIC to cover your costs.

No need for an UK EHIC?

 

[macd]

No need for an UK EHIC?

Seems to me that the only gap in the circumstances described by Greeny might be if he anticipated the need for of treatment in the UK some time in the future. In the event of the UK leaving EHIC, his only route to such entitlement may be via S1 (after retirement). On the other hand, there's no guarantee UK S1 will survive Brexit, although HMG is making noises in that direction. Otherwise, he seems to be in a happy place.

 

[nortada]

So, Greeny, my understanding is, as a Portuguese resident, rather than a UK EHIC, currently, you have an EHIC issued and backed by Portugal?

From your post, you suggest, once you receive a UK state pension and obtained a S1, you would get an UK EHIC as an addition to your Portuguese EHIC?

Question why would you bother to get an UK EHIC (or even a S1)?

If you require medical support in Portugal you would use the Portuguese Health Service; if abroad in the EU, including the UK, if required you would use your Portuguese EHIC to cover your costs.

No need for an UK EHIC?

Seems to me that the only gap in the circumstances described by Greeny might be if he anticipated the need for of treatment in the UK some time in the future. In the event of the UK leaving EHIC, his only route to such entitlement may be via S1 (after retirement). On the other hand, there's no guarantee UK S1 will survive Brexit, although HMG is making noises in that direction. Otherwise, he seems to be in a happy place.

If he fall ill in the EU, Greeny should be able to use his Portuguese EHIC to access NHS medical facilities.

No need to resort to the S1/ UK EHIC route.

 

[macd]

If he fall ill in the EU, Greeny should be able to use his Portuguese EHIC to access NHS medical facilities.

No need to resort to the S1/ UK EHIC route.

That rather assumes that the UK will be part of/will recognise EEA EHICs after Brexit. If there's no deal, it may not.
(That's certainly the EU's take on "no deal", as it would operate in the opposite direction. Check with the link in post #4.)

 

[maxi77]

A few observations.

Medical insurance is now very expensive, I was quoted over £1000 a year excluding most of my pre-existing conditions and on the basis I would use my EHIC card. On that basis expect prices to rise if EHIC for UK citizens disappears in a puff of brexit smoke.

EHIC is a reciprocal scheme so if UK EHIC cards no longer work in the EU clearly EU cards will not work in the UK. Mind you I do expect EHIC to survive even a no deal brexit eventually.

I heard that for those under 70 there was a reasonably priced insurance system for expats in Portugal but for me even if it is still available this boat has sailed

 

[greeny]

In reply to all the questions, yes i appear to be in a good place at the moment with a portuguese issued ehic. i'll need to see what happens with brexit to determine my next move. S1 or not S1, who knows?