continues to make it easier for people in 31 European countries (the EU's 27 Member States, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) to access healthcare services during temporary visits abroad. A patient in possession of the card is entitled to the same access to public sector healthcare in case of illness or an accident (e.g. a doctor, a pharmacy, a hospital or a health care centre) as the nationals of the country he or she is visiting. Currently over 188 million people in Europe have the European Health
Insurance Card (or a replacement certificate) according to the most recent figures provided by countries participating in the scheme. This is over 37% of the total EU population. What is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)? A free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. 103