Europe introduces health insurance card:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The European Health Insurance Card, which will enable residents of the EU, EEA countries and Switzerland to obtain free emergency care while visiting any of these countries, was introduced on June 1. The card replaces the E-111 and equivalent forms, without a change in the conditions of access to care: There are no implications for reimbursement-related issues, since the costs are met by the traveller's country of origin, the system's project manager at Ireland's Department of Health, Joe Lewis, told Clinica. The scheme is being introduced immediately in Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain and Sweden, and gradually in France and Germany. The remaining states will adopt the scheme on January 1 2005.