The European health card, a document that is valid for two years and that more and more Romanians are requesting, can be of great help when traveling outside the country. It is issued in just a few days and can also be requested from abroad.
The European Social Health Insurance Card (CEASS) can be requested by insured persons from the territory of Romania since 2007. This card gives the right to medical assistance that has become necessary during a temporary stay in the territory of other member states of the European Union, the Economic Space European or the Swiss Confederation, but also the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Temporary stay means the movement of a person to one of the states mentioned above for tourist, professional, family or educational reasons, for a period of time of no more than 6 months.
How to get the European card
The European health insurance card is obtained following a request addressed to the health insurance company in whose records the insured is. The request will be accompanied by the copy of the identity document and the proof of the quality of insurance.
In recent years, more and more Romanians request this document, mostly in the run-up to holidays. Documents can be emailed, mailed, faxed or dropped off at the counter. The insured will take possession of this card within 7 working days from the date of registration of the application in the single national IT system that manages the application of European regulations regarding the rights of insured persons temporarily staying in an EU member state.
“If exceptional circumstances prevent the issuance of the European Card or if there are emergency situations that would make it necessary to issue the card in less than 7 working days, the health insurance company will issue a provisional card replacement certificate (CIP)”, explain the representatives of the Olt County Health Insurance House.
A provisional card replacement certificate (CIP) can also be requested if the insured person is in the territory of a member state of the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and, for various reasons, is not in the possession of CEASS. The situations in which: not requested at departure are valid; lost it; it was destroyed or stolen from him; the card is not recognized by the medical service provider where it is presented or in any other similar situation. In these situations, the insured person must contact the insurance company that issued the card (by post, fax, e-mail) and request the temporary replacement certificate (CIP) of the European health social insurance card. The health insurance company will send the certificate to the address mentioned in the application within 24 hours.
“The provisional replacement certificate (CIP) gives the insured the same rights as the CEASS”, CJAS Olt representatives also specify.
What medical services does the European Health Card cover?
The insured who possesses a European health insurance card benefits from the medical services that have become necessary during the temporary stay on the territory of one of the mentioned states. On the basis of this card, he will receive medical services under the same conditions as those insured in the country where he traveled. Considering this aspect, it is important to mention that it is possible that, for certain services, co-payment is necessary, even if in Romania the same services are settled in full. This depends on the insurance system in the country where these services are provided to us.
“The European Card does not cover the situation in which the insured travels to a member state of the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in order to obtain a planned medical treatment”, also underlines the cited source.
It should also be noted that only medical services obtained from providers that are part of the social security system in that country are covered under CEASS. We can call on a private medical service provider that is not in this system if we have a private insurance policy that covers such situations during the trip.
The insured person who needs medical services on the territory of another state and these are offered on the basis of the CEASS will not have any other steps to complete, the settlement of the medical services related to the European card being done at an inter-institutional level (the medical service provider will contact the institutions of the country).
“Based on this card treatments for pre-existing ailments cannot be requested abroad, but only for health problems that arise during the stay. Also, the card does not cover the situation in which the insured person's travel to another EU member state aims to receive medical treatment”, CJAS Olt representatives also draw attention.
