LETTER: Make sure you Euro Health Insurance Card is valid
I AM writing to alert those people who plan to travel in Europe this summer to check their European Health Insurance Card is valid, as more than six million cards are due to expire this year.
The cards offer free or reduced cost medical treatment throughout the EU and without them holidaymakers risk paying huge bills if they need medical care during their time abroad. The cards were first issued in 2006 and expire after five years, meaning anyone who applied for the card when they came out will now have to renew.
The card is free and is available through the NHS website. People should make sure they apply using the official site, as there are many sites that claim to offer an express service for a fee, but these are not official and do not speed up the application.
I ask everyone to check their card today to avoid unexpected financial pain when on summer holidays this year.
SAJJAD KARIM
MEP FOR THE NORTH-WEST