Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if any provision exists for applying for European health insurance card, formerly the E111 form, retrospectively, particularly in the case where a patient took ill suddenly, required immediate surgery in a foreign country and did not know of its existence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48347/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Under EU Regulations, all persons ordinarily resident in Ireland are entitled to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which covers them for necessary health care during a temporary visit to another EU Member State. All persons are entitled to healthcare under EU regulations in another Member State even if they do not hold a EHIC at the time treatment was provided.

If a person does not hold a current EHIC, it is possible to request a Temporary Replacement Certificate from the HSE whilst on a visit to another state. If this facility was not availed of and costs were incurred, the local Health office can process a claim for a refund by the patient on return to Ireland. The HSE can issue a temporary certificate retrospectively provided entitlement existed. However, it is the other EU Member State that determines the amount to be refunded and if the treatment provided was under EU regulations.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider the appointment of a patients advocate where such a role would provide patients and their families with the necessary information to avail of the European health insurance card, formerly the E111 form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48348/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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All relevant information concerning the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is currently available on the Health Service Executive EHIC website: www.ehic.ie. Information is also available on the citizen's information website. More recently this information is available as a smartphone application which provides information on how to access health services in the Member State that a person is visiting and provides information on the processes to follow if an individual does not have an EHIC.

In light of this, I do not intend to appoint a patient's advocate to make this information available.