![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/GHIC_validity_map.svg/640px-GHIC_validity_map.svg.png&w=640&q=50)
UK Global Health Insurance Card
UK successor to the European Health Insurance Card / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about UK Global Health Insurance Card?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is a card issued by the NHS Business Services Authority on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Care in the United Kingdom. It is issued free of charge to anyone covered by the social security system of the United Kingdom and provides evidence of entitlement to the provision of healthcare services under the UK's reciprocal healthcare agreements with the European Union, Switzerland,[1] Norway,[2] Iceland,[2] Liechtenstein,[2] Montenegro,[2] Guernsey and some British Overseas Territories.[3][2] It is also accepted by Australia as proof of eligibility to enrol in Medicare.[4]
UK Global Health Insurance Card | |
---|---|
![]() United Kingdom Countries accepting the GHIC for access to healthcare | |
Issued by | ![]() |
First issued | 1 January 2021 |
Purpose | Access to free or reduced cost health services in countries which have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK |
Valid in | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Eligibility | UK residents;[lower-alpha 1] UK state pension recipients living in an EU member state |
Cost | Free |
Before January 2021, UK residents, students and European Economic Area/Switzerland-resident UK state pension recipients were entitled to a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Under the terms of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK and EU agreed that reciprocal healthcare provision would continue. The UK launched the Global Health Insurance Card in January 2021 to partially replace the EHIC for this purpose. The UK continues to accept EHICs issued by EU member states and issue EHICs to certain individuals who maintain entitlement under previous treaties with the EEA and Switzerland.[5]
From January 2024, reciprocal healthcare arrangements similar to those with the EU were established between the UK and Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.[6] Consequently, the GHIC is accepted in the same countries as the UK EHIC.
Like the EHIC, the GHIC only covers healthcare which is normally covered by a statutory health care system in the visited country, so the UK government still advises travellers to purchase travel insurance.[7]