"Everyone has the right to timely access to affordable, preventive and curative health care of good quality".
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
The European Health Insurance Card allows people staying temporarily in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland to access medically necessary public healthcare under the same conditions and at the same cost as people insured in that country.
The card is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover private healthcare, repatriation costs, lost or stolen property, or medical treatment planned in advance. It also does not guarantee free healthcare, because each country’s healthcare system operates under different rules.
When people move their habitual residence to another country, they should not rely on the European Health Insurance Card. In that case, they may need to use the relevant social security forms, such as the S1 form, to register for healthcare in their new country of residence.
Important to know
The European Health Insurance Card:
The card is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover private healthcare, repatriation costs, lost or stolen property, or medical treatment planned in advance. It also does not guarantee free healthcare, because each country’s healthcare system operates under different rules.
When people move their habitual residence to another country, they should not rely on the European Health Insurance Card. In that case, they may need to use the relevant social security forms, such as the S1 form, to register for healthcare in their new country of residence.
Important to know
The European Health Insurance Card:
- is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property,
- does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment,
- does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country.
EU Health Policy · Health Care & Health Systems
Explore the wider EU Health Policy framework
Health care is a core principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights, but it is also part of a wider EU policy agenda covering health systems, cross-border healthcare, crisis preparedness, digital health, medicines, public health, prevention, health data and the European Health Union.
Continue with eEuropa’s Health Hub to follow EU health policy developments, legislative initiatives, institutional updates and strategic resources across the European health agenda.
