Euro insurance card to be adopted next year

Malta will not be among the first group of EU countries introducing the European Health Insurance Card to replace the E111 form, but will adopt the card some time next year.

On June 1, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Spain, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Estonia and Slovenia will switch from the E111 form and start using the card.

However, member states can make use of a transition period which allows them to delay its introduction until the end of next year.

The size of an ID card bar the photo, the insurance card is deemed to be more user-friendly than the E111 form, since it is easier to carry.

Just like the E111 form does at the moment, it enables residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) to obtain the same health benefits as residents of an EEA country being visited temporarily. The EAA consists of the EU member countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Only state-provided emergency treatment is covered and the cost of the treatment would eventually be charged to the patients' respective governments.

The head of the Health Department's entitlement unit, Shirley Sultana, explained that while 13 countries will start using the card system as from next week, Malta has opted to take up the transition period.

But although it has until the end of 2005 to introduce the card system, Ms Sultana said it would probably be in place locally in the first quarter of that year.

Any new E111 form issued will be valid until the end of this year while the validity date of forms issued next year would depend on when the new card is issued locally. EEA citizens can use the same E111 form as many times as they like in any EEA country.

Maltese citizens are not the only people eligible for this service. All those covered by health care in Malta are entitled to the card. These include nationals of another EEA country who pay their national insurance contributions in Malta or receive a state pension from the Maltese government, stateless people or refugees and widows or widowers receiving a Malta state pension or widow's benefit.

Ms Sultana said the form is issued after a person applies for it and this could be done via e-mail, by mail, over the phone or by calling personally at the Health Ministry in Valletta.

The transition from the E111 form to the health insurance card has been praised by senior EU officials. Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, representing the EU presidency, described the card as "a very tangible manifestation" of an EU initiative which would have "real, practical benefits for its citizens".

"I am delighted that a majority of member states are prepared to operate the system from June 1 and I urge the remaining states to do so as soon as possible," he said.

European Commission President Romano Prodi too welcomed the card's introduction. He described it as "another piece of Europe in your pocket".

"The millions of European citizens who travel within the Union every year - on holiday, school exchanges, business trips - will now find it much easier to access health care when abroad," he said.