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IRISH CITIZENS LIVING in England, Scotland and Wales may lose access to healthcare in EU countries after Brexit, with the future of European Health Insurance Cards uncertain post-Brexit.
And the possibility of having that access to healthcare taken away was a major concern for Irish citizens who sought advice from the Irish embassy in London over the past year.
In numerous items of correspondence received by the Irish Embassy in London over the past 12 months, concerned Irish citizens living in the UK have queried whether they will still be able to access healthcare in EU member states through the EHIC after Brexit.
Other fears expressed by Irish citizens in the UK included what their status would be after Brexit and if they’d be able to remain there. In some cases, people described how they’d lived in the UK for more than five decades and were now worried about their future.
This correspondence was released to TheJournal.ie under the Freedom of Information Act.
In one instance, someone wrote: “I am an Irish citizen and Irish passport holder, born in the six counties. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, is it possible for me to obtain an EHIC?”
What is an EHIC?
An EHIC – formerly the E111 card – is a card that lets you get healthcare in another EU or European Economic Area state for free, or at a reduced cost.
It generally covers you if you’re there on holiday or on a short term stay.
Irish and EU citizens living in Ireland can apply for the card. You must be living in Ireland, have an address here and be able to show proof of it.
If you live elsewhere in the EU, you are still entitled to an Irish-issued EHIC under a set number of conditions.
If you’re not eligible for an Irish-issued EHIC, the HSE advises you to see if you’re eligible for one in the country you’re living in.
And, if you live in the UK, Irish citizens are entitled to a UK-issued EHIC. But, with the UK set to leave the EU, that is now in doubt.
It’s clear from the volume of correspondence received by the Irish embassy that losing this access to healthcare was a primary concern with Brexit looming.
‘Can you issue me one?’
The Irish Embassy has fielded hundreds of queries on a variety of topics related to Brexit. But the EHIC is one topic that appeared in correspondence again and again over the past year.
Another Irish citizen living in the UK asked: “When the UK leaves the EU, will the Irish government issue me with a new E111 card (the former name for the EHIC) – an Irish one given that I am a citizen?”
“As an Irish passport holder living in the UK, I have their EHIC card. If the UK leaves the EU this card will no longer be valid,” another wrote. “Can you issue me one, or what alternative do I have apart from my personal health insurance?”
In another case, someone who’d recently obtained an Irish passport inquired if they’d be eligible.
“I recently acquired an Irish passport through my grandfather. How do I obtain an EHIC after 29/03/19 (the original Brexit date). I only have a UK National Insurance number,” the person said.
“I have been previously advised to get one via the UK government (and did) but I now fear this will not be accepted anywhere post-Brexit.”
There were dozens of similar emails all querying healthcare in the EU post-Brexit. One wrote in: “I am an Ulsterman who resides in England. I only have an Irish passport. Obviously the UK government clearly hasn’t a clue.”
Residency
A Department of Health spokesperson confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the EHIC is issued not on the basis of someone’s nationality but instead issued based on a person’s residency in an EU country.
“Although an individual may be an Irish passport holder, as they are resident in the UK, the issuance and continued validity of UK issued EHIC cards is a matter for the relevant British authorities,” the spokesperson said.
The department pointed to advice issued by the UK’s NHS on what would happen to the EHIC after Brexit.
It says: “The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) may not be valid if there’s a no-deal Brexit. This will depend on arrangements with individual countries and might mean you need to pay for treatment in full.
If you’re using an EHIC issued by the UK, this will still be valid until the UK leaves the EU. If your trip or treatment started before Brexit and you’re being asked to pay for healthcare coverage after Brexit, the UK can help.
The British government has secured a deal with Spain to keep the EHIC active even if there’s a no-deal Brexit up to the end of 2020. Similarly, passport holders will still be able to access healthcare in Portugal and Ireland in the wake of a no-deal. But it does not have a deal with other countries.
Even if there is a deal, the future of EHIC scheme for British residents is uncertain. Under Boris Johnson’s deal, the EHIC would apply for the transition period to 31 December 2020.
After this, however, any path forward would need to be negotiated between the UK and EU.
With Boris Johnson’s crushing victory in the general election, this turns into another aspect that the UK and EU will need to work out with talks on trade deals and customs arrangements now set to get under way in earnest in 2020.
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The pension levy will be abolished at end of next year, not this year.
And the double-Irish will be abolished next year for new companies, and for all by end-2020 – not next January.
Separately, WTF is that 25% Christmas bonus all about??
I thought we abolished THAT nonsense a few years ago.
Hi – I just added in the 0.6% to the first Pension Levy mention there, that’s the one abolished by end of 2014. The second part was mentioned in its section. Thanks!
buying older electoral vote, pure and simple
25% is free money to people with no jobs. I have no problem giving it to those that worked and lost a job. But it should not be given to those that have never worked, most especially those that didn’t work during the boom years when jobs were everywhere.
Simon it is not just for pensioners, it is for all social welfare receipients.
Loads of money for free ‘social houses’ too.
The Christmas bonus is zero compared to the bankers bonus on screwing their customers
I really see the greed coming through here. It’s all about me, me, me. Can you all not see that we have a huge number of poor people all over the place, people who are really struggling.
@Eugene.
yes, they’re called the working class.
The only greed I see is the government greedily trying to buy votes,
25% Christmas bonus to social welfare recipients…. eh why?
There’s a million better things I could think of spending that money on.
It’s for pensioners!!! Relax you and I won’t be any worse off
Livida
its for all Social Welfare Recipients
Really?? I am pretty sure it was announced that it was for pensioners on a social welfare payment.
Aah well, I still won’t be any worse off so won’t begrudge anyone who needs it, it’s a once off 25% payment for gods sake… Take a look at what enda and Joan are taking from the tax payer…
In reading the above article it looks to be to all social welfare recipients. And it’s a once off to a huge number of people. I’m pretty sure that adds up to just a little bit more than pocket change.
My point was this would be better spent elsewhere.
A 25% Christmas bonus going to people that I know for a fact wouldn’t get up to warm themselves!!!!! And then people going out to work are being screwed!!! A joke!
Quite the little right wing fascist, aren’t we?
Not everyone on social welfare is there by choice, some of them are but not all! Both my parents worked and paid taxes up until my dad became terminally ill and was not fit to work anymore and shortly after that my mum became his carer (leaving her full time job!). Are you saying you’d begrudge them a 100 or so at Christmas when they struggle to make ends meet through no fault of their own?
No one says your family doesnt deserve it, it’s the family who spent all day doing nothing or drinking and are able to buy there 3 kids ipads and laptops and phones for xmas because they get the dole, rent supplement and what ever else extra and whos kids left school early because they couldn’t be bothered and are know also sitting on the dole, where as other people who go out and work 50+ hrs a week and have so high of taxes they struggle to afford presents for there kids because there money is being used to pay for the other ppl who definetely do not deserve it!
Lucinda is on tv now blasting the government she backed until she lost the plot .
When they get rid of the water tax
What happened to free health care for under 5 children which was promised last budget if I can remember? Not holding my breath with this €5 increase in Childcare Benefit
I’m going to be saving the government the tax relief amount on my water allowance……
Of d fags so
have your say