Expats
Healthcare when you live abroad: what happens to the card you had
Stopping contributions at home changes things. What happens to your card, what a European card covers once you are resident abroad and what you have to take out.
Tomás Berruezo 5 min Photo by Nathalia Segato on Unsplash It is the question people moving abroad ask most, and the short answer is that it depends on where you pay contributions, not on where your house is.
The underlying idea
Public health cover is tied to contributions or to residence, depending on the system. If you start working and paying contributions in another country you normally move into its system, and if you are contributing nowhere it has to be looked at case by case.
And a card like the European health card is for TEMPORARY stays: it is not designed for residing in another country, and using it that way can end in a bill you are asked to pay back.
What it does cover is in what the European health card covers.
What you have to sort out
- Which system covers you once you move, and from what date.
- Whether there is a waiting period before the local cover is effective.
- Whether you need private insurance for that gap, or permanently.
- What happens when you come back home to visit.
Point two is the one most people find out too late: in some countries cover takes weeks or months to switch on.
The paperwork that helps
Take your medical records, your vaccination history and reports on anything chronic, translated if the destination asks for it. It is far easier to get hold of before you leave than to request from abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the European health card while living abroad?
It is not meant for that: it covers temporary stays. Using it while resident in another country can end with the costs being reclaimed.
What happens to my health card if I move?
It depends on where you pay contributions. If you start contributing in another country you normally enter its health system.
Is there a waiting period?
In several countries yes: cover takes weeks or months to activate, and that gap is usually covered with private insurance.
What paperwork should I take?
Medical records, vaccination history and reports on any chronic condition, translated if the destination asks for them.
