Updated to reflect the entry into force agreement between the United Kingdom and Switzerland on the coordination of social security systems. From 1 November 2021, the UK and Switzerland will implement a mutual agreement on healthcare that includes necessary healthcare, comprehensive healthcare and planned healthcare. Pensioners who receive a pension from one State and reside in the other State on the date indicated and who are entitled to reimbursement of health services provided by the State paying the pension shall continue to be entitled to such reimbursement. Persons entitled to a pension on the basis of the aggregation of the insurance periods of the two countries continue to be subject to the provisions of Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and (EC) No 987/2009 on health insurance. Persons with statutory health insurance from an EU/EFTA country are entitled to treatment in the event of illness, non-occupational accident or maternity during visits to Switzerland (holidays or business trips). With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), they are entitled to medical care that is considered essential given the type of treatment and the expected length of their stay in Switzerland. This means that patients do not have to restrict their visit to Switzerland and return home for treatment. Persons who do not have their European Health Insurance Card with them can apply to their health insurance fund for a provisional replacement certificate. Further information can be found under the following links to the joint institution within the framework of the KVG. The agreement does not extend to broader mutual health care and only applies in rare cases. The reason for the existence of this card is that the right to healthcare in Europe is based on the country of legal residence, not on the country of citizenship.

Therefore, a passport is not enough to receive medical care. However, it is possible that a photo ID may be required as the European Health Insurance Card does not include a photo. Persons who enter with the intention of settling (e.B. due to marriage) are compulsorily insured from the date of their arrival, and not from their registration with the resident registration office or the issuance of their residence permit. You must be insured with a licensed Swiss health insurance company within 3 months of your arrival – in this case, coverage is retroactive from the date of your arrival. If they do not, they can be automatically assigned to a health insurance company; if the delay is not justifiable, an additional premium will be charged in case of late registration. In this case, they must bear the cost of any medical treatment they receive prior to registration. I am pleased to be able to sign the British-Swiss Convention on the Coordination of Social Security Systems. This will help give people security about their future income, ensure that our citizens can continue to receive mutual health care, and support the trade and commerce relationship between our two countries. The United Kingdom and Switzerland have signed an agreement that benefits citizens living and working abroad in both countries by assuring them that they can benefit from health insurance and an increased state pension, among other social security rights.

It will also allow eligible people travelling to one of the two countries to access the necessary healthcare abroad with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or its Uk successor, the World Health Insurance Card (GHIC). There is also a limited agreement with Israel that provides health care only in the event of an accident at work for a person entitled to benefits in the event of an accident at work. In some cases, even if a person is covered by the health insurance of an EU country, they are not entitled to a European Health Insurance Card. In Romania, for example, a currently insured person must have been insured within the last five years to be eligible. [6] Romania is also the only participating country where not all permanent residents are covered by health insurance. For these reasons, Romanian Roma generally do not have a European insurance card and their costs are not borne by the country of residence. [Citation needed] Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Minister Nigel Adams, who signed the agreement, said: “I am delighted to be able to sign the British-Swiss Convention on the Coordination of Social Security Systems. This will help give people security about their future income, ensure that our citizens can continue to receive mutual health care, and support the trade and commerce relationship between our two countries. The agreement covers a wide range of social security benefits for eligible persons. Those who live abroad in both countries can receive health care, higher pensions and other benefits. These include health insurance for public pensioners in the UK, those who export maternity benefits and certain categories of cross-border workers. “Tourists from non-EU/EFTA countries need to make sure they have sufficient health insurance coverage.

It is recommended to take out travel insurance that covers the cost of necessary medical care in Switzerland. Persons insured in an EU/EFTA country – Entitlement to health insurance benefits If you retire after the date indicated, you are still entitled to a pension under national law. Periods of insurance completed in the other country are taken into account when completing the minimum insurance period and the pension continues to be paid without restriction even if you reside in the other country. In this case too, health insurance coverage is guaranteed by one of the two countries. See “Visit to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein” in the field of healthcare for UK nationals visiting the EU for information on access to healthcare during a visit to these countries. The card was introduced gradually from 1 June 2004 and during 2005 and became the only document for health claims on 1 January 2006. The card is valid in all French overseas departments (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion and French Guiana) as they are part of the EEA, but not in non-EEA dependent territories such as Guernsey, Jersey, isle of Man, Aruba or French Polynesia. [4] However, there are agreements on the use of EHIC in the Faroe Islands and Greenland[5], even if they are not in the EEA.

Access to health care is guaranteed on a non-discriminatory basis. In the case of residence in the other country, there is always a right to health care at the expense of the competent State. The European Health Insurance Card remains valid for holidays in the other country. In addition to the EFTA countries mentioned above, the United Kingdom has reciprocal health agreements with the countries listed below. If a non-EU country or territory is not listed on this page, the UK does not have a reciprocal health agreement with it. In August 2015, the Daily Mail published an article about the abuse of the EHIC system in which a card was issued to its secret Hungarian journalist, who “received the card after visiting the UK for less than a day” after another journalist posed as its owner and presented the lease of a property to a family doctor. that none of them lived in order to get an NHS number. He claimed that “foreigners have charged the NHS for care in their own country”. As the Guardian pointed out, the NHS issued a card to a person who was not eligible to receive the card because a GP was tricked into issuing an NHS number and it was not clear what benefit this would bring. [11] In the context of mutual agreements, there are a number of differences in the scope of free treatment of visitors.

In general, only immediate medical treatment is offered free of charge so that visitors can return home for other needs. Some fraudulent websites ask you to pay to order your European Health Insurance Card from them. Never use these websites: Instead, contact your public health care provider directly. In some countries, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is issued at the same time as the National Health Card. In other countries, you must apply for it. Wherever you travel, make sure you have travel insurance that covers health care costs. The aim of the agreement is to ensure that everything is the same for the persons covered by FINOPA and that acquired rights are protected. For more information on access to healthcare in EU countries and Switzerland, see Healthcare for UK nationals visiting the EU. However, the United Kingdom has a reciprocal agreement with the Faroe Islands, under which British residents can receive medical treatment equivalent to that of a GHIC. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister Nigel Adams, who signed the agreement today, said: “The UK has reciprocal health agreements with some non-EU countries.

In these countries, you are often treated as if you are residing in the country you are visiting. 5 Figures for Ireland are based on estimates. Indeed, the United Kingdom and Ireland only exchange S2 forms. Reimbursement for healthcare for UK state pensioners and healthcare for UK visitors is based on a formula agreed between the two countries. The figure S1 does not include dependent pensioners. It only covers health care, which is usually covered by a legal health system in the country visited, so travel insurance does not become obsolete. .