The European health card, whose full name is the European Social Insurance Card (CEASS), is the document that entitles you to the necessary medical benefits in case of a short stay in one of the member states of the European Union.
The European Health Card is valid for two years
Basically, with this card you have free access or at a much reduced cost to medical services – treatments and procedures – which are normally covered by the health insurance of the country visited, according to specialist websites.
Keep in mind that you cannot use it if you are moving to a member state of the European Union to receive medical treatment for a pre-existing condition.
In which countries it can be used
The European health card can be used, if necessary, during a temporary stay, in any of the 26 member states of the European Union (except Romania), in the countries that are members of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), on the territory of the Swiss Confederation and on the territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Temporary stay means moving to one of the member countries of the European Union/European Economic Area/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a period of no more than 6 months, for tourist, professional, family or study reasons.
The European Health Card must contain the following visible information:
- Name and surname of the insured person;
- The insured’s personal numerical code;
- Card expiration date;
- Code of the International Organization for Standardization for the Member State issuing the card;
- Identification number and acronym of the health insurance company issuing the card;
The card, issued free of charge by CNAS
The European health card is issued to you free of charge by the health insurance company where you are insured. If you have lost your card and request a duplicate European card, you will have to pay its equivalent of 8.33 lei, either at the cashier of the Health Insurance House or by bank transfer.
The European card is valid for 24 months from the date of issue and you can request a new one up to one month before its expiry by following the procedure detailed below.
The European health card can be requested by any person who provides proof of the quality of being insured in the social health insurance system in Romania.
Documents required to obtain the health card
In order to obtain a European health card, you will need to provide proof of being insured in Romania and you will need to submit the following documents to the County Health Insurance Office you belong to:
- Copy of the identity document
- Copy of a document attesting the insured status, depending on the status – employee, pensioner, unemployed, etc. You have more details on the CNAS website.
- Application for issuing a signed and stamped European health card. From here you can download the application form for CASMB insured applicants.
How can I get the European Health Card?
To obtain the European Health Card you must follow the steps below:
- Complete the application for issuing the European health card
- You submit the application, together with the documents listed above, to the health insurance company where you are registered.
- The health insurance company checks your eligibility and then issues the European health card.
The European health card is issued within 7 working days from the date on which you submitted and registered your application. The card will be sent to you by post to the address entered on the application for issuance.
The application must be submitted by the direct beneficiary of the European health card.
If he cannot appear, the authorized person will have to additionally submit the following documents:
- Copy of the identity card;
- Declaration on own responsibility – if he is a first-degree relative (parent/child) with the beneficiary;
- Notarial power of attorney – if he is not a first-degree relative of the beneficiary
The advantages of the European health card – how and where we can use it.
Once the European health card is obtained, the person can benefit from the medical services that have become necessary during your temporary stay in one of the member countries of the European Union/European Economic Area/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, under the same conditions as and insured persons from that country.
That means you have access to:
- Family doctors, specialist doctors or dentists working at a medical service provider in contractual relations with the health insurance company;
- Continuous hospitalization for emergencies, epidemiological diseases or for childbirth;
- Day hospitalization for emergency situations, diseases of an epidemiological nature or for chemotherapy services;
- Prescriptions fully or partially reimbursed based on a medical prescription;
- Emergency consultations at home and medical transport;
Keep in mind that co-payment may be required for certain medical services, even if they are settled in full in Romania.
The European health card cannot be used if the purpose of traveling abroad is to obtain medical treatment for a pre-existing illness.
