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GP visits are free for Irish EHIC holders resident outside Ireland

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  • 09-01-2014 4:59pm
    #1
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,022 ✭✭✭✭


    Maybe this is common knowledge but it came as a surprise to me recently. If you are resident outside the RoI and hold an EHIC issued by that other country, then if you need to see a GP or whatever when you're visiting home then it's FREE!

    It seems crazy...my family who live there must pay €50 a pop and I can see the same GP for nothing.

    Basically EHIC holding visitors to Ireland are treated as if they are Irish medical card holders (so you must seek out a PCRS doctor, but most GPs are contracted under the PCRS). This goes further...prescriptions are also covered so they are free as well.

    Some Info


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    #2
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    murphaph wrote: »
    Maybe this is common knowledge but it came as a surprise to me recently. If you are resident outside the RoI and hold an EHIC issued by that other country, then if you need to see a GP or whatever when you're visiting home then it's FREE!

    It seems crazy...my family who live there must pay €50 a pop and I can see the same GP for nothing.

    Basically EHIC holding visitors to Ireland are treated as if they are Irish medical card holders (so you must seek out a PCRS doctor, but most GPs are contracted under the PCRS). This goes further...prescriptions are also covered so they are free as well.

    Some Info
    It's for emergency care only.

    Urgent health services
    Urgent health services mean:

    urgent medical treatment for sickness or pregnancy by a general practitioner or specialist
    prescribed drugs and medicines
    dental treatment (for relief of pain only)
    hospital services
    They do not mean:

    non-urgent or elective treatment that can reasonably be postponed until you return to your own country
    any case in which a person travels to Ireland for the specific purpose of obtaining treatment.

    Things that are deemed as 'non emergency' are billed back to your health insurance provider in your home country (depending on the country) and then you receive a bill within the terms of your Insurance Package.

    NHS for example you won't pay anything.
    Dutch Insurance you'll get a bill.
    German Insurance you'll pay 10 euros.

    Cross Border workers (like myself) get a different card whereby you get full healthcare in both countries but your wife only gets full healthcare in your country of residency and not in your work country. Even though she is covered buy the Insurance in your work country.


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    #3
    Soldie
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 1,713 ✭✭✭Soldie


    Happy days. :cool:


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    #4
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,022 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    keithclancy wrote: »
    German Insurance you'll pay 10 euros..
    Not any more. The Praxisgebühr has been abolished. I presume that's where your €10 figure came from?


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    #5
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,882 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    its simply a recripocal arrangement that Irish EHIC holders get treatment abroad too

    My mam for instance who broke her arm on a recent trip to germany who didnt have to pay a cent to get seen to by a doctor, nor for the xray nor for the plaster cast or the medical time spent putting it on.

    And you cant forget that it doesnt cost the Irish government a cent to treat visitors as they get the cash back from their home countries for any treatment.


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    #6
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    murphaph wrote: »
    Not any more. The Praxisgebühr has been abolished. I presume that's where your €10 figure came from?

    No, from my Krankenkasse.

    The Practise fee is only applicable in Germany. The Cross Border rules are usually 2-3 years behind what is implemented.

    The whole cross border social security / healthcare /taxation in the EU is a frikkin mess.


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    #7
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,022 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    I always thought that the deal was that you would be "treated as a local" with your EHIC, ie you pay if a local has to pay (and then sort it out with your insurer if applicable). I always assumed that "a local" in Ireland would be the guy who has to pay €50 to see the GP, ie most people, but "the local" in Ireland is apparently a medical card holder who doesn't pay.

    In France for example you pay for medications up front and claim the cost back. A friend of mine was visiting there from Berlin at xmas and he needed a prescription. He paid like a local and will seek reimbursement from his German insurer. Fine, just like a local in France.

    BUT

    If he had needed a prescription in Ireland it would have been FREE as he would have been treated under PCRS (like a medical card holder) and he wouldn't have to seek any reimbursement.

    Basically Ireland considers visitors to be locals with medical cards, not just "locals" if you see what I mean.

    There is a difference because when seeking reimbursement from your insurer they are only obliged to pay what they would pay in your home country for that medicine. So if you were charged full price in Ireland and seeking a refund in say Latvia, you likely wouldn't get the entire sum back, but Ireland doesn't charge for medications here, unlike say France (and presumably others).


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