Before we begin to discuss the problem in its entirety, I feel it prudent to explain what exactly the European health insurance card (otherwise know as the EHIC) is and how it benefits you the holiday maker.

The EHIC was originally created and introduced around two years ago. The card was to be slowly phased in to replace the E111 form seen as outdated by many. The concept of the card is that it provides access to initial emergency treatment, usually deemed life saving or unavoidable. Under the scheme you will be treated as would any other insured person in the member country. Currently some 30 countries subscribe to the agreement, of which 4 are non EU-member states, namely; Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland (prescribes to the E112, whereby patients awaiting treatment in the UK can be sent abroad if it reduces waiting time).

The scheme covers only this initial treatment and the cost of further treatment in the aid of convalescing will not under usual circumstances be covered. It is important to note that in many countries it is literally just the emergency treatment itself that is covered and not the journey to the hospital in the ambulance, or the hospital bed you will occupy. As you can imagine you could very quickly find yourself amassing a rather large bill. Due to this,