European Health Insurance Card - EHIC
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entered into force in Italy on 1 November 2004. The card, which is the reverse side of the Italian Health Insurance Card (TS) or the Regional Service Card, allows you to receive medically necessary (hence not only urgent) care, when you are staying temporarily in a EU Member State or an EAA country (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland).
To whom is it issued?
As a rule, all persons registered with the Italian National Health Service (SSN) and residing in Italy may receive an EHIC. Exceptions are:
- workers under Italian law registered in the Register of Italians Living Abroad (AIRE) and posted abroad;
- students (holders of an S1 form) registered in the AIRE;
- pensioners (and their family members) holding an S1 form; and
- family members of a worker who do not reside in the same country as the worker and who holding an S1 form.
Since the EHIC, which is issued by the Revenue Agency, is currently not delivered abroad, the local health authority (ASL) will issue a replacement certificate at your request.
The EHIC is also available to EU and non-EU citizens registered with the SSN who meet the requirements and conditions laid down in EU and national legislation respectively.
How and where to use the EHIC
You can obtain healthcare services directly from a doctor or a public or contracted provider by presenting the EHIC, which entitles you to receive treatment under the same conditions as people insured in the country you are in. You will be provided the service directly and free of charge, except for any co-payment (for example, in France, patients are charged 20% on all treatments, including hospitalisation) that is paid directly by the patient and is cannot be reimbursed.
Please note that in Switzerland and France (which have reimbursement-based systems), you will usually be required to pay for treatment upfront. You can then claim reimbursement (excluding the co-payment share, as indicated above) directly from the competent national institution while still in the country (LAMal in Switzerland or the competent CPAM in France). Alternatively, you can ask for reimbursement from your local health authority upon returning to Italy, by submitting the medical bills and health documentation.
Note that you cannot use the EHIC for highly specialised treatment abroad (planned treatment), which must be authorised in advance by your local health authority.
Validity
The EHIC is valid for six years, unless otherwise indicated by the relevant region or local health authority (Decree of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of 25 February 2010 updating the Decree of 11 March 2004). The Revenue Agency will automatically send you a new card before your current card expires.
