Glenn Bugeja, head of secretariat, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Valletta
Health insurance cards for foreigners in Malta
I refer to the letter entitled More Discrimination Against Maltese (May 20). Kindly allow me to clarify the situation with regard to the issuing of European health insurance cards (EHIC) for foreigners residing in Malta.
I can confirm that the EHIC, issued for foreigners qualifying for a certificate of entitlement from our office on the basis of their €121 or €109, is issued for a one-year period rather than the usual three years.
This policy is necessary in order to exercise closer control on healthcare entitlements.
EU pensioners who choose Malta for their retirement are in this manner also entitled to EHICs paid for by the Maltese healthcare system.
In recent years we had noticed that a number of pensioners who were either leaving Malta for good or returning to live in their country of origin for several months were not returning their card to the Entitlement Unit and continue to use the EHIC issued by Malta to cover their healthcare requirements in other EU member states.
This occurs despite the fact that when they apply for their card they declare that they will be permanently residing in Malta. We also distribute an instruction card with each EHIC issued advising the recipient to notify the unit of any change in residence circumstances.
Once an EHIC card is issued by a competent authority, in this case Malta, that same authority has to bear the costs incurred even though that person may not be entitled for the card anymore.
Hence, for persons who are entitled to an EHIC, by virtue of a certificate of entitlement issued through EU co-ordination mechanisms, it is deemed necessary to renew the EHIC on a regular basis thereby continuing to ascertain that the person is truly a permanent resident in Malta.
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Mike Farrugia
May 26th 2009, 22:48
What about non-EU citizens coming in Malta illegally, without any entitlement cards, and are still provided with free medicines and non urgent medical services? Does Mr. Bugeja know how much are they costing us? Does he know that health centers' employees are not informed who is entitled for what?
jo spteri
May 26th 2009, 22:38
Perhaps the head of secretariat will now care to tell us why applications used to be processed within 10 days, now the website states 15 working days and, in reality, people who have applied as far back as March have not even received their card! What's gone wrong in this Unit that used to actually function?
Mr.Garry Daymond
May 26th 2009, 18:17
I don't somehow think this is going to effect alot of retired persons in our case ex-pats from the UK,most are leaveing now by the hundreds and are not returning due to the present sterling situation,however i think to be fare a letter should be sent to every foreign resident that is entitled for the EHIC and has a valid certificate for the 3 year period to either return the card or advice on what to do hence when leaving the island for good.
Oisin Jones-Dillon
May 26th 2009, 17:44
If, as the Parliamentary Secretary for Health claims, non-Maltese EU citizens leave Malta and continue to use the locally issued European health insurance cards to cover their healthcare requirements in other EU member states, why, therefore, does it signally fail to apply identical administrative measures, on an annual basis, to ensure that non-resident Maltese nationals do not unduly avail of their locally issued EHICs to cover their healthcare requirements elsewhere in the EU, the costs of which are likewise borne by the competent Maltese authority?
That is the question which must be addressed and resolved in respect of the violation of EU laws pertaining to discrimination among EU citizens on the grounds of nationality.
Oisin Jones-Dillon
W Spencer
May 26th 2009, 10:43
The Certificate of Entitlement is also re-newed annually ?