Brexit is a huge topic at the moment, and something we are asked about daily. As it stands, from following the media reports and information given on the direct.gov website - it is still not known what will happen with the EHIC card after the expected date the UK will leave the EU on 29th March 2019:
What is the situation now?****
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles citizens of EU countries to state-provided emergency medical treatment within the EU country they are visiting.
This is separate to the arrangements for UK citizens living in another EU country, who cannot use EHIC in the country they live in but are entitled to the same state-funded healthcare as citizens of that country.
EHIC works in any EU country, as well as Switzerland, and the European Economic Area (EEA) countries of Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
It will continue to work for as long as the UK is in the EU, while Brexit negotiations continue.
According to the current timetable, that is until midnight on 29 March 2019.
The UK has reciprocal health insurance deals with a few non-EU countries too, including Australia and New Zealand, under which visitors can receive free urgent treatment.
These will be unaffected by any forthcoming EHIC changes.
**The claim: EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens in the EU, will be able to use their European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) after the UK leaves the EU.
Reality Check verdict: If you are already living in another EU country on the day the UK leaves the bloc, that is correct, your EHIC will continue to work.** After that date, for EU citizens wishing to travel to the UK or UK citizens wishing to travel to the EU, it is unclear about what will happen because no deal has yet been reached.
We hope this information is useful. Here at Freedom, we are always happy to discuss your future holiday dialysis plans, and help and advise of the options available. We are happy to book and hold sessions for after 29/03/2019 if you prefer to await the outcome of Brexit.