Packing for your sun holiday? Do you have your EHIC card?
One young Irish holidaymaker has been left with a huge hospital bill after he travelled to Spain without his European Health Insurance Card and found himself in a private Spanish hospital after collapsing on the second day of his holiday.
The young man had been holidaying with his girlfriend in the Spanish resort of Playa de Las Americas in Tenerife when he found himself in the back of a private ambulance after he collapsed in his hotel room and was taken to hospital. An EHIC card covers you in case of a medical emergency abroad. Pic: Getty Images
He underwent a series of examinations in the emergency room, including blood tests, and was deemed serious enough to be kept in overnight, where the hospital recommended a brain scan be undertaken the next day.
However, the following morning, the hospital staff presented the young man with a bill for over €1,100 euro for tests and treatment given up to that point.
A frantic phone call was made back home to family in Ireland, who immediately contacted the HSE to try to rectify the situation with the EHIC card, which they found was not only left at home in Ireland, but was also two weeks out of date. Tenerife. Pic: Shutterstock
Within 24 hours the issue was sorted out and an emergency EHIC number was issued, which could be used for any future treatment needed in Spain – but only in public hospitals and clinics.
Which still leaves this young couple with a bill of almost €1,200 euros for inadvertently calling a private ambulance when the young man collapsed.
Speaking to Extra.ie the young man's mother said its quite possible her son had suffered from heatstroke after spending most of the previous day by the pool in the heat of the Spanish sun, currently experiencing a heatwave with temperatures of almost 40 degrees in places.
The advice from the HSE is simple, if you have your EHIC card with you on holiday and if you need to see a GP or get treatment abroad, showing your health insurance card will make the process much easier.
How you use an EHIC abroad differs from country to country. In some countries you might have to pay for treatment, while in others the card will cover you, but either way having this vital little blue and white card with you could save you a lot of heartache and worry in the event of needing a doctor or emergency room abroad.
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