Brussels, 31/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - After a vast number of complaints, the Commission called on the Spanish authorities, on Thursday 30 May, to explain the behaviour of a number of public hospitals that are said to have refused to administer care to holders of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), unless the holders present a travel insurance policy and a credit card number.
Every person holding a European card of this kind has the right to expect, when necessary, urgent medical care during a temporary stay in another member state (and also in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland). That, at least, is the law. However, that law does not seem to be respected everywhere and is being less and less observed in a number of tourist regions in Spain, the Commission states, after deciding to send Spain a letter of formal notice, the first stage in infringement proceedings. The problem has been known since 2010 but, despite promises that Madrid will find a solution, the situation hardly seems to have changed. Many tourists cannot gain access to the public health service and the excuse often used is that the EHIC is not valid. This has often meant that tourists have had to seek care in the private sector, which is far more costly. (JK/transl.jl)