# EHIC - European Health Insurance Card



## James3214 (Jun 25, 2009)

I am just posting this because of a thread started in the German forum about seeking medical care with an EHIC after working for 6 months in Germany.

Probably some of you expats in Spain have a or obtained an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card or old E111) when you first moved to Spain. 

I understand it is valid for 5 years but apart from those who are entitled to free health care in Spain do any of you still use it for claiming free health care if you are not in the Spanish system? Even if you have been working in Spain for 6 months or longer?


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

James3214 said:


> I am just posting this because of a thread started in the German forum about seeking medical care with an EHIC after working for 6 months in Germany.
> 
> Probably some of you expats in Spain have a or obtained an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card or old E111) when you first moved to Spain.
> 
> I understand it is valid for 5 years but apart from those who are entitled to free health care in Spain do any of you still use it for claiming free health care if you are not in the Spanish system? Even if you have been working in Spain for 6 months or longer?


I don't but can assure you that their are dozens who live here ,more or less permanently , who do.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> I don't but can assure you that their are dozens who live here ,more or less permanently , who do.


yes they do, but it is illegal for them to do so, really



@ James - the E111 is no more & has been replaced by the S1 - but you probably know that

if you are working in Spain & paying into the system you get free state healthcare anyway

I have read somewhere recently that there has been a crackdown (in Spain at least) on anyone using the EHIC for more than 6 months in a year


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> yes they do, but it is illegal for them to do so, really
> 
> @ James - the E111 is no more & has been replaced by the S1 - but you probably know that
> 
> ...


It is very definitely illegal and in some areas they are no longer accepted because the UK government refuses to reimburse those which are being used illegally. Unfortunately the cards of visitors and those who are entitled to use them legally are sometimes being refused as well.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> It is very definitely illegal and in some areas they are no longer accepted because the UK government refuses to reimburse those which are being used illegally. Unfortunately the cards of visitors and those who are entitled to use them legally are sometimes being refused as well.


yes, there must be many falling foul of this rule who are here legitimately on holiday for a few weeks at a time, but several times a year

I guess if they can produce tickets proving that they are truly on holiday then that _should_ be proof enough

but true holidaymakers rarely speak enough of the language to argue the point


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