EHIC Card

[Geoff]

Does anyone know precisely what these can be used for?
My wife had free treatment at Portimao A&E , and also at follow-up visits at Lagoa and CVO clinics ( all excellent) but when she visited a Dr at the Lagoa on a separate matter, had to pay 2.60€ on each occassion.....we assumed this was a "visit" charge , and the amount was neither here nor there.
However, at the pharmacists in Alvor and Ferraguedo , she had a discount on prescriptions when using the EHIC card : however, the Lagoa pharmacist was adamant that the EHIC card did not entitle you to a discount.....as the antibiotics were 50€, any discount would have ben helpful.
Anyone know the full facts please?

[Farol]

Have a look here:
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcare ... vered.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcare ... tugal.aspx

[Geoff]

Thanks, but this is the general info.....it does state " Doctors : State healthcare is provided without charge" yet we paid to see one.....and it doesn't clarify if the EHIC card entitles you to a prescription discount.

[maccasa]

The Blue card gives you a discount on the full price of drugs: you pay the same as a portuguese resident and it is ~ 60% off.

when I have visited the pharmacy near the beach in CVO, they always ask me for my card so that I get the discount. Similarly, I had to recieve emergency hospital treatment last year with a broken toe - I paid a total of € 11.60 for the emergency and surgery, and then €12 at the pharmacy instead of 28.

Trust this helps

[maccasa]

Just spoke to my daughter who had to go to the docs in Lagoa with her baby saturday - no charge and the paharmacy - (which is the one almost straight ahead past the gas station as you go up the small hill from the roundabout) gave her the discount.

[pato]

I went to the clinic in Cvo just up the crack near Colombo's and saw a lovely Doctor about a rash on my leg, he gave me a prescription and put a plaster on the rash and charged 53euros, I wasn't unhappy, just thought it was a little overpriced. A real nice guy though.

[sam]

I went to the clinic in Cvo just up the crack near Colombo's and saw a lovely Doctor about a rash on my leg, he gave me a prescription and put a plaster on the rash and charged 53euros, I wasn't unhappy, just thought it was a little overpriced. A real nice guy though.

I think this is a private Dr, hence the price.

[Geoff]

Macassa....perhaps the lack of a charge for the baby was that it's free for minors : it's the prescription charges that seem a lottery and seems to depend on which pharmacy you go to ....the Lagoa one would not give a discount.

[maccasa]

strange - I can only recall gtting stuff from the one in Lagoa for my grandaughter, so you may be correct, but I have certainly got discounts at 3 other pharmacies that I know off - the one in CVO, the main pharmacy in Portimao and the one at Continente at algarve shopping centre.

[TomUK]

Do Portugueses senior citizens pay for prescriptions?

If not, I presume the EHIC card would therefore provide UK senior citizens the same benefit.

In no hurry to test this out - just wondered.

[carvoeiro1]

yes we do.

[TomUK]

Oh! heck. Must remember not be poorly next time out. Only thing I've ever needed in all the years so far was a packet of Strepsils throat sweets last time. About a third dearer than UK.

Regarding the EHIC card, my pal's wife misjudged the height of a rather high kerb in Spain last May. She slipped and hurt her hip. It seemed quite bad, so an ambulance was called and on arrival at what he described as a 'state of the art' hospital (it was not a private one), he was immediately asked if he had an EHIC card. It was back at the apartment. The doctor didn't look best pleased and provided a pain killer. He then said further treatment couldn't begin unless my pal went to the apartment and brought the card. As soon as he returned with the card the whole atmosphere changed and it was all systems go. An immediate x-ray revealed a fractured hip. A lengthy operation was carried out the next day which involved inserting a metal pin to repair the hip. This will apparently be there for life (she is 50 years old). After a few days in hospital she was ready to be flown home. She was ambulanced to the airport and the airline (can't remember which) arranged for wheelchair and extra space as she was in plaster. All this treatment was without charge, but the most impressive thing is that an NHS nurse was sent out from the UK to escort the patient back to Manchester, once again, at no extra cost. Needless to say, my mate is a big fan of the EHIC cards!

[sam]

Oh! heck. Must remember not be poorly next time out. Only thing I've ever needed in all the years so far was a packet of Strepsils throat sweets last time. About a third dearer than UK.

The local version is Tantum Verde - I found these much more effective than Strepsils, and last time I bought them they were cheaper.

[TomUK]

Cheers Sam - I'll remember that.