Confusion over OAP EHIC cards
BRITISH pensioners living in France are being advised to ignore confusing wording on letters being sent from UK DWP
BRITISH pensioners living in France are being advised to ignore confusing wording on letters being sent out from the UK’s Pension Service with their new EHIC (European travel healthcare) cards.
From May 1 those expats who have their French healthcare funded by the UK though an E121 form (ie. OAPs) have to have their EHICs issued by the UK and not, as previously, France.
EHICs (European Health Insurance Cards) – formerly E111s - are used by European Union citizens to access healthcare while on a visit to a country different from the one of their usual residence.
In the case of a Briton in France this includes visits to the UK.
However letters going out with the new British-issued EHICs are more suited to British residents applying for one.
They include wording such as “if you go abroad to live or work on a long term basis please return the EHIC to us” or “the EHIC does not provide entitlement to NHS services.”
A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions confirmed that the letters were standardised ones that are not appropriate for expats.
In the case of expats, the new British-issued cards are still to be used on visits to the UK, as before with the French-issued ones. As before, they have no effect on expats’ entitlement to healthcare in France.
The spokesman said in this instance the Pension Service was just an intermediary, involved in sending the letters, on behalf of the Health Ministry. There had been many queries from expats over the wording, he said.
A Department of Health spokesman acknowledged that the letters were generic ones and said they would be acting on feedback received and sending more appropriate ones in future.
Anyone living outside of the UK who is entitled to an EHIC issued by the
UK, can use it to access necessary NHS services, including monitoring and treatment of some pre-existing conditions, while visiting the UK. However you cannot deliberately plan to go to the UK for treatment using the card or have non-urgent treatment that could wait until you return home.
