Latest news with #GlobalHealthInsuranceCard
Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Brit stuck in Greece on ventilator with £14K bill after holiday insurance mistake
Alan Kirby, 67, from Somerset, is currently on a ventilator after falling ill during a vacation with his family - he faces a £14,000 hospital bill due to issues with his insurance A British man is stranded in Greece after suddenly dropping ill on holiday - leaving him with a £14,000 hospital bill. Alan Kirby, from Somerset, fell ill just three days into his vacation. The 67-year-old was enjoying time with his partner Helen Whitemore, 62, his stepdaughter Liza and her three daughters, when he took a turn on July 5. They were enjoying dinner in Tsilivi, Zante, when they noticed Alan looked 'dreadful, grey and pale'. Alan, who is a car valeter, went back to the hotel and woke up in the morning feeling breathless. He sought medical advice, and doctors advised he return to the UK for a biopsy on a mass in his lung they feared might be cancer. It comes after the best and worst GP surgeries across the UK were named - check your area. But before they could get home, Alan's health deteriorated and he was put on a ventilator - prohibiting him from taking a commercial flight back to the UK. He was then airlifted to a private hospital in Athens. Hospital officials called his insurance company who disclosed Alan was aware of the mass - something he says British doctors deemed to be a benign fatty tissue, and told him not to worry about it. This made it a pre-existing medical condition, which he had not declared to insurers, invalidating his cover and landing the family with a £14,000 bill. He's now on a ventilator in a hospital covered by his Global Health Insurance Card, and is too unwell to fly home on a conventional flight, but without insurance to cover a £45,000 private medical flight home. His family are unsure if he has cancer, or if his symptoms are caused by pneumonia he is now battling. Liza, 40, who is a private care assistant, said: 'We know we've made the mistake [with the insurance] - that's the problem. My mum had gone into the bank that she had insurance with and they said, 'just go on holiday, you don't have to do anything'. They didn't know about the mass. 'And he was well before - he was working as a car valeter the day before the holiday. He's still on a ventilator. There's a talk about him going into a coma, but we don't know if it's cancer or pneumonia doing the damage. He's fine, then he's not, he's fine then he's not. He's really breathless - on the phone he can't say more than a few sentences. We're just desperate to get him home." Speaking about the moment they realised something was wrong, Liza added: "At dinner he had aching pain all down the right side of his torso. He thought it was from throwing my kids while playing in the sea earlier in the day." He woke up breathless and went to a local clinic in the morning, and after extensive testing was sent to a local hospital. The couple say they thought he had a chest infection and needed antibiotics. 'But the doctor, who must have had the clinic's test results, said, 'antibiotics won't cure cancer'," said Liza. 'Everyone was petrified, nobody knew what was going on. After five hours, they told my mum she needed to go back to England for a biopsy, because they couldn't tell from the X-ray if Alan had cancer." The hospital spotted a mass in Alan's right lung, which he was already aware of, but says British doctors had told him was a benign fatty tissue mass in December 2024. Lisa added: "The insurance didn't know about it.' Two days later Alan was 'fitting' in his hospital bed, disoriented and dehydrated with oxygen levels of only 36%. "They put him on a non-invasive ventilator and there was talk that night of putting him in a coma but then they said he might not come round because of his lungs," said Liza. The insurance company agreed to fly Alan to a private hospital in Athens via a helicopter ambulance. But when Alan arrived in Athens, the insurance company contacted Lisa to say they were checking Alan's pre-existing conditions. The checks took five days and the insurance company requesting Alan's UK GP records - and discovered Alan's 'pre-existing condition', the mass in his lung. Now, the insurance company has told Alan's family they will pay for Alan's care up until the checks started - five days of private hospital care costing £14,000. Alan was moved to Athens' General Hospital where his care is covered by his GHIC card. He remains on a ventilator and antibiotics. Alan's family are now back in Somerset, trying to raise the £45,000 to bring him home via air ambulance. To donate to the fundraiser, visit here.
Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Grandad stuck in holiday destination as dream Greece trip takes nightmare turn
Alan Kirby, 67, a car valeter, from Marston Magna, Somerset, thought the pain in his side at dinner was from throwing his stepdaughter's children around in the sea in Zante A British holidaymaker is trapped in Greece on a ventilator, facing a £14,000 hospital bill due to an error with his travel insurance. Alan Kirby, 67, a car valet from Marston Magna, Somerset, initially believed the pain in his side was a result of playing with his stepdaughter's children in the sea in Zante. However, when he woke up struggling for breath, he sought medical advice and doctors recommended he return to the UK for a biopsy on a lung mass they feared could be cancerous. Before Alan could return home, his health worsened and he was placed on a ventilator, preventing him from taking a commercial flight back to the UK. He was subsequently airlifted to a private hospital in Athens. Alan's health battles come as travel experts Brits to claim a card that delivers free healthcare in 34 different countries. Have you had a holiday go wrong? If you'd like to tell your story, email webtravel@ Hospital officials contacted Alan's insurance company, which revealed that the Brit was aware of the mass - something he claims British doctors had identified as benign fatty tissue and told him not to worry about. This classified it as a pre-existing medical condition, which he had not declared to his insurers, thus invalidating his cover and leaving the family with a £14,000 bill. Alan is currently on a ventilator in a hospital covered by his Global Health Insurance Card, and is too ill to fly home on a standard flight. However, he lacks the insurance to cover a £45,000 private medical flight home. His family are uncertain if he has cancer, or if his symptoms are due to pneumonia, which he is now fighting. His distraught family are fundraising to cover the cost of the ambulance flight home, and are speaking out to raise awareness of potential holiday insurance mistakes. Alan's stepdaughter Liza Whitemore, 40, a private care assistant from Wincanton, Somerset, said: "We know we've made the mistake [with the insurance] - that's the problem. "My mum had gone into the bank that she had insurance with and they said, 'just go on holiday, you don't have to do anything'. They didn't know about the mass. And he was well before - he was working as a car valeter the day before the holiday. "He's still on a ventilator. There's a talk about him going into a coma, but we don't know if it's cancer or pneumonia doing the damage. He's fine, then he's not, he's fine then he's not. He's really breathless - on the phone he can't say more than a few sentences. We're just desperate to get him home." Alan was three days into his break with his partner Helen Whitemore, 62, Liza and her three daughters, when he became unwell on July 5. He appeared "dreadful, grey and pale" during a family meal in Tsilivi, so returned to the hotel. "At dinner he had aching pain all down the right side of his torso. He thought it was from throwing my kids while playing in the sea earlier in the day," Liza continued. He awoke feeling breathless and visited a local clinic in the morning, and after thorough testing was transferred to a nearby hospital. The pair say they believed he had a chest infection and required antibiotics. "But the doctor, who must have had the clinic's test results, said, 'antibiotics won't cure cancer'," said Liza. "Everyone was petrified, nobody knew what was going on. After five hours, they told my mum she needed to go back to England for a biopsy, because they couldn't tell from the X-ray if Alan had cancer." The hospital had discovered a growth in Alan's right lung, which he was already aware of, but claims British medics had informed him was a harmless fatty tissue mass in December 2024. Two days later Alan was "fitting" in his hospital bed, confused and dehydrated with oxygen levels of just 36%. "They placed him on a non-invasive ventilator and there was discussion that evening of putting him in a coma but then they said he might not wake up because of his lungs," said Liza. The insurance firm agreed to transport Alan to a private hospital in Athens via a helicopter ambulance. He was unable to fly to the UK because it was too lengthy a journey and he was required to stay on a ventilator. However, when Alan reached Athens, the insurance company contacted Lisa to say they were examining Alan's pre-existing conditions. The investigations took five days and the insurance company requested Alan's UK GP records - and uncovered Alan's 'pre-existing condition', the growth in his lung. Now, the insurance company has informed Alan's family they will cover Alan's care up until the investigations began - five days of private hospital care costing £14,000. Alan was transferred to Athens' General Hospital, where his care is covered by his GHIC card, and he continues to receive treatment with a ventilator and antibiotics. Back in Somerset, Alan's family are now striving to raise the £45,000 needed to bring him home via air ambulance.
Daily Record
16-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Dad who plunged from Cyprus hotel balcony left unable to walk
Sam Hudson, 24, had been staying at Anmaria Beach Hotel in Ayia Napa when he fell from the second floor on June 15. A holidaymaker has been left unable to walk after suffering a horror fall from a hotel balcony in Cyprus. Sam Hudson was staying at the Anmaria Beach Hotel in Ayia Napa with his step-brother when he fell from the second floor on June 15. The dad, 24, had been drinking and was trying to leap between balconies. He was raced to hospital for treatment to pelvis and spinal injuries. His stepmum, Karen, received a call informing her that Sam had "sustained serious bone injuries" and needed to be moved to Nicosia General Hospital for critical care. Sam, who is a dad-of-one, was rushed into intensive care due to a shattered pelvis, fractures to the L4 and L5 vertebrae, and a broken leg, enduring over seven hours of surgery. Without travel insurance, Sam faced delays as he awaited a Global Health Insurance Card before doctors would proceed with the operation. After spending just over a week in the hospital, he was then moved to the Orthopaedic ward. Sam told the Mirror: "I do not remember anything, how it happened, nothing. I keep having nightmares about the accident. I was in a lot of pain and had a high dose of pain killers for the first 10 days which meant I was not really aware of how bad the situation was. "I had a broken pelvis at the right hand side near the leg joint, broken something in the lower part of pelvis, also broken an area at the back of my spine some small bones that stick out the back of the lower spine." Upon Sam's return home to Lincoln, he will need immediate physiotherapy and will be admitted to hospital for rehabilitation. The father will then embark on the challenging journey of learning to walk again. A fundraiser has been set up for his family to cover the costs of his travel home. Karen said: "Sam has not received any physiotherapy and urgently needs to return to the UK to be admitted to hospital for rehabilitation - to begin the long process of learning to stand and walk again. He still has fractures in his pelvis and lower spine that have not been addressed, as they're not considered emergencies. "However, from viewing the X-ray, these areas appear to be shattered, and we are concerned about the assumption that they will simply heal on their own. Trying to coordinate all of this has been a logistical nightmare for us as a family." She is initiating a petition urging the UK government to make travel insurance a legal requirement for anyone travelling abroad. Karen added: "Make sure always make sure you have travel insurance - no matter what. It's essential, and you should always read the small print to understand exactly what is and isn't covered. "Equally important is having a GHIC card, which can cover emergency medical treatment within the EU. If you have it with you, the NHS can fund your care, and treatment can begin immediately without unnecessary delays. "I strongly believe that travel insurance and a valid GHIC card should be made compulsory. When booking a flight or holiday, travellers should be required to enter both their insurance policy number and GHIC reference number. "This would ensure that everyone is adequately protected and could help prevent other families from experiencing the distress and uncertainty we faced - not knowing how we would manage the costs involved in getting Sam home and ensuring he received the care he needed."
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Brit tourist plunges from Cyprus hotel balcony and can't walk after holiday 'nightmare'
24-year-old Sam Hudson, from Lincoln, was enjoying a holiday getaway in Ayia Napa with his step-brother on June 15 when he suffered an accidental fall from his hotel balcony A British holidaymaker is haunted by "nightmares" after a terrifying plunge from a hotel balcony in Cyprus left him unable to walk. Sam Hudson, from Lincoln, was staying at the Anmaria Beach Hotel in Ayia Napa with his step-brother on June 15 when he suffered a horrific fall from the second floor. The dad, who had been drinking, was trying to leap between the balconies. He was spotted by a passerby and rushed to hospital in an ambulance after suffering pelvis and spinal injuries. Stepmother Karen received a call informing her that Sam had "sustained serious bone injuries" and needed to be moved to Nicosia General Hospital for critical care. The father-of-one faced a gruelling stint in intensive care due to a shattered pelvis, fractures to the L4 and L5 vertebrae, and a broken leg, enduring over seven hours of surgery. Without travel insurance, Sam faced delays as he awaited a Global Health Insurance Card before doctors would proceed with the operation. After spending just over a week in the hospital, he was then moved to the Orthopaedic ward. Sam told The Mirror: "I do not remember anything, how it happened, nothing. I keep having nightmares about the accident. I was in a lot of pain and had a high dose of pain killers for the first 10 days which meant I was not really aware of how bad the situation was. "I had a broken pelvis at the right hand side near the leg joint, broken something in the lower part of pelvis, also broken an area at the back of my spine some small bones that stick out the back of the lower spine." Sam was set to be discharged on July 11 as he no longer required emergency medical care, which is what the GHIC card covers. Upon his return to the UK, he will require immediate physiotherapy and will be admitted to hospital for rehabilitation. Sam will then embark on the challenging journey of learning to walk again. However, lying flat for the flight home presents a "significant challenge" as the family cannot afford the cost of a stretcher. His step-mum has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover some of the costs, which has already raised more than £5,000. Karen stated: "Sam has not received any physiotherapy and urgently needs to return to the UK to be admitted to hospital for rehabilitation - to begin the long process of learning to stand and walk again. He still has fractures in his pelvis and lower spine that have not been addressed, as they're not considered emergencies. "However, from viewing the X-ray, these areas appear to be shattered, and we are concerned about the assumption that they will simply heal on their own. Trying to coordinate all of this has been a logistical nightmare for us as a family." She is initiating a petition urging the UK government to make travel insurance a legal requirement for anyone travelling abroad. Karen added: "Make sure always make sure you have travel insurance - no matter what. It's essential, and you should always read the small print to understand exactly what is and isn't covered. "Equally important is having a GHIC card, which can cover emergency medical treatment within the EU. If you have it with you, the NHS can fund your care, and treatment can begin immediately without unnecessary delays. "I strongly believe that travel insurance and a valid GHIC card should be made compulsory. When booking a flight or holiday, travellers should be required to enter both their insurance policy number and GHIC reference number. "This would ensure that everyone is adequately protected and could help prevent other families from experiencing the distress and uncertainty we faced - not knowing how we would manage the costs involved in getting Sam home and ensuring he received the care he needed."
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
UK tourists must apply for GHIC at least 15 days before flying to Europe
This free document allows Brits to access free or cheaper healthcare while abroad. Brits planning a European getaway this summer are being urged to secure an essential card at least 15 days before departure. This vital piece of documentation grants access to free or reduced-cost healthcare whilst overseas. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which took over from the widely recognised European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in use since 2004, is a must-have for travellers. Although travel insurance remains a key recommendation for those holidaying abroad, the GHIC enables you to access public healthcare services across most European nations. The NHS website clarifies: "The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay." For those who still possess a valid EHIC, it can be used until its expiry date. Post-expiry, a GHIC will be required as a replacement. Bear in mind that receiving a new GHIC by post typically takes up to 15 days, so it's wise to apply several weeks ahead of your intended travel dates. How to apply Eligibility for a free UK GHIC extends to UK residents, and applications can include family members. When applying, be prepared to provide: Your full name Your address Your date of birth Your National Insurance number Your Health and Care number (for Northern Ireland residents). Each family member requires an individual card. You have the option to include your spouse, civil partner, and offspring in your application all at once. Your personal information must be entered initially, followed by adding additional cards when prompted. Should you need to append further family members post-application, you ought to contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. Your reference number, full name, date of birth, and address are essentials for us to locate your details. Upon submission of your application, expect an email from the NHS within a day's time confirming its approval status - check your spam folder if no communication is received. The NHS may request supplementary information or documents to proceed with approval. In the event that your card does not arrive before travelling, and you require medical attention, apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) for interim coverage. What it covers The card enables access to state healthcare services during your stay that cannot be postponed until your return to the UK, often termed "medically necessary healthcare". This encompasses situations such as:. Emergency interventions and A&E attendance Management of chronic or pre-existing conditions Routine antenatal care provided giving birth abroad is not the purpose of your trip Certain treatments, such as kidney dialysis or chemotherapy, will need to be pre-arranged with the appropriate healthcare provider in the country you're visiting. This is due to the fact that it's not always guaranteed that local healthcare providers will have the capacity to provide this care. The decision on whether treatment is medically necessary is made by the healthcare provider in the country you're visiting. State healthcare isn't always free outside of the UK. You may be required to pay for treatments that would be free on the NHS if a local resident would be expected to pay in the country you're visiting. Before travelling, it's advisable to research the state-provided healthcare services in the country you're visiting and any potential charges you may face. You can check the relevant country guide on for information on how to access treatment in the country you're visiting. However, a GHIC (or EHIC) card does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like: Medical repatriation (being flown back to the UK) Treatment in a private medical facility Ski or mountain rescue For this reason, the NHS advises that you also have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip. A UK GHIC can be used when you're visiting: A country in the European Economic Area (EEA) Montenegro Australia Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man St Helena, Tristan and Ascension A UK GHIC can be used in Switzerland if you're one of the following:. A British national A Swiss national An EU citizen A refugee A stateless person A family member of someone who holds one of the above nationalities or statuses Article continues below The UK Government is in talks with various countries to broaden the applicability of the UK GHIC, so it's always advisable to verify coverage prior to your journey. For further details, visit the NHS website here.
