180 Million People Now Have a European Health Insurance Card

As the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) initiative nears a five year milestone, the European Commission has today announced new statistics showing that the number of cards in circulation has topped 180 million. The number of Europeans holding the card has increased every year since the programme's introduction in 2004. The EHIC is a free card that ensures cardholders receive the same access to public sector health care (e.g. a doctor, a pharmacy, a hospital or a health care centre) as residents of the country they are visiting.

Statistics prove the initiative's success
The EHIC makes it easy for cardholders to get the medical care they need if they become sick or injured while temporarily visiting one of the 31 participating countries.(1) Between June 2004 and December 2005 the EHIC was progressively introduced to replace the previous paper form called "E111".

The card is most widely held in Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Austria where respectively 99%, 96% and 96% of the population have an EHIC. These high circulation rates can be explained by the fact that the EHIC is on the reverse side of those countries' national health care cards: so for these residents, receipt of the EHIC is automatic.

Lower circulation in some countries can be partially explained by the fact that those citizens tend to take fewer holiday trips outside of their home country. For example, Eurostat 2006 figures show that only 11% of holidays (of at least four nights) taken by Greek residents are to destinations outside Greece – and only 1% of Greeks are EHIC cardholders. The EHIC card, however, is not only valid for holiday travel; it can be used no matter the purpose of a trip (work, study, holiday). Non-cardholders risk facing more difficulties in meeting the costs of healthcare they may need while travelling abroad, as in most cases, they will be asked to pay upfront.

Statistics show that usage of the EHIC card has also increased every year, another indication that the initiative is working. The continuing rise in the number of cards in circulation and the increased usage figures together indicate that people are becoming more and more familiar with the advantages of the card.

Less paperwork means less stress for both doctor and patient
The EHIC benefits both cardholders who become injured or sick while traveling abroad and healthcare providers by minimising paperwork. As more travellers carry the card, healthcare providers are getting familiar with the procedures they have to handle for foreign patients: More and more users and health professionals are becoming aware of the benefits of the card.

The common European design of the card itself is one of the reasons the card is a success. To help ensure that healthcare providers can easily recognise the European Health Insurance Card, a uniform design is used by all participating countries. The same data is always in the same position on the card, and this minimises the chance for confusing information – particularly when considering language differences. The only difference is the length of validity: it is up to each Member State to decide how long the card is valid for.

Thanks to successful public outreach and education, and the sheer practical benefits of the programme, more and more Europeans are obtaining the card.

For more information, available in all official languages:
http://ehic.europa.eu

1. The European Health Insurance Card is available to anyone, regardless of nationality, who is covered by the public healthcare system in any of the 27 EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It is also valid for travel in all of these participating countries. The EU countries are: Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom.

Most Popular Now

AI-Powered CRISPR could Lead to Faster G…

Stanford Medicine researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to help scientists better plan gene-editing experiments. The technology, CRISPR-GPT, acts as a gene-editing “copilot” supported by AI to help...

Groundbreaking AI Aims to Speed Lifesavi…

To solve a problem, we have to see it clearly. Whether it’s an infection by a novel virus or memory-stealing plaques forming in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, visualizing disease processes...

AI Spots Hidden Signs of Depression in S…

Depression is one of the most common mental health challenges, but its early signs are often overlooked. It is often linked to reduced facial expressivity. However, whether mild depression or...

AI Model Forecasts Disease Risk Decades …

Imagine a future where your medical history could help predict what health conditions you might face in the next two decades. Researchers have developed a generative AI model that uses...

AI Tools Help Predict Severe Asthma Risk…

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed artificial intelligence (AI) tools that help identify which children with asthma face the highest risk of serious asthma exacerbation and acute respiratory infections. The study...

AI Model Indicates Four out of Ten Breas…

A project at Lund University in Sweden has trained an AI model to identify breast cancer patients who could be spared from axillary surgery. The model analyses previously unutilised information...

Smart Device Uses AI and Bioelectronics …

As a wound heals, it goes through several stages: clotting to stop bleeding, immune system response, scabbing, and scarring. A wearable device called "a-Heal," designed by engineers at the University...

AI Distinguishes Glioblastoma from Look-…

A Harvard Medical School–led research team has developed an AI tool that can reliably tell apart two look-alike cancers found in the brain but with different origins, behaviors, and treatments. The...

ChatGPT 4o Therapeutic Chatbot 'Ama…

One of the first randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of a large language model (LLM) chatbot 'Amanda' for relationship support shows that a single session of chatbot therapy...

Overcoming the AI Applicability Crisis a…

Opinion Article by Harry Lykostratis, Chief Executive, Open Medical. The government’s 10 Year Health Plan makes a lot of the potential of AI-software to support clinical decision making, improve productivity, and...

Dartford and Gravesham Implements Clinis…

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust has taken a significant step towards a more digital future by rolling out electronic test ordering using Clinisys ICE. The trust deployed the order communications...