EU Citizenship

[Smitheroo]

I have dual citizenhip (EU and my native US).  I am aware of the benefits of having EU Citizenship that are on the various websites but I am wondering if any one has had other experiences, good or bad.  Do to my age and circumstances,  I think the only benefit I would ever be able to use is health care access if I should become sick in an EU country.  And I dont know much about that so not relying on that benefit.   I forgot to add that I also have an EU Passport.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Smitheroo

[LauraAnneC]

If you don’t have an address in the EU I’m not sure how much you would benefit from the emergency health care that is available to EU citizens. You need to have a card with you that you can apply for before you travel. Which reminds me, I need a new one! 

[Smitheroo]

12 minutes ago, LauraAnneC said:

If you don’t have an address in the EU I’m not sure how much you would benefit from the emergency health care that is available to EU citizens. You need to have a card with you that you can apply for before you travel. Which reminds me, I need a new one! 

That is good to know!  You dont think the process could be done quickly in the case of emergency health care?  I know that care for an  *accident* is provided for all.   One of our senators who was recently injured in an automobile accident in Spain was treated free of cost (so he said, that's all I can go by)   I have also read that about accident care.  As you age, regular health care becomes as important, or even more important, than accident care.

 

I am NOT intending to rely on this feature, I know purchasing travel insurance would be a lot easier.  However, in all the policies I looked at the coverage only applies for trips of a certain length (ie. 45 days) Maybe in cases where your trip will be longer you should look at an annual plan? Not sure if that limits the length or trips or not. 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Smitheroo

[Asawi]

EU health care benefits are not about citizenship but rather residency as @LauraAnneC says.

We have to be covered by healthcare in our EU home country to be eligble for benefits in another country. And to be covered by healthcare we need to live and be registered to pay tax in that country. 

If that senator was treated free of charge he was lucky or covered by something else than this.

[LauraAnneC]

As far as I know you will be treated if you’re in an accident but they will come looking for payment afterwards. My uncle who is Irish by birth was ill in Ireland a few years ago and received great care here. He has an Irish passport but his American health insurance paid the bills. He didn’t have a travel insurance but he really should have. I wouldn’t count on getting free healthcare. No one that I know who lives in various parts of Europe would ever dream of travelling without travel insurance. 
 

As far as I’m aware also the free accident cover may cover the immediate aftermath of the accident but any other necessary procedures would not be covered. 
 

Hope this helps. 

[Asawi]

Yep! Once again @LauraAnneC beats me! 😄 Emergency care will be given if needed, but rest assured they'll go looking for payment afterwards! In case of a road accident where a EU motor vehicle is considered to have caused the accident it will come from the compulsory vehicle insurance. In other cases with no other insurance it may come to you as HUGE bill! 

Maybe that senator's accident had to do with that vehicle insurance I mentioned or they had some sort of insurance of their own that maybe they didn't realize actually included accident protection.

 

[lisiamc]

A US citizen is restricted to spending a maximum of 90 days in a rolling 180 days in the EU, unless they are resident in an EU country. As an EU citizen you can spend as long as you wish, although you will be regarded as tax resident after a certain number of days spent in one country. In Italy, it’s 180 days/year. In that case, you would be a taxpayer in two countries, since all US citizens must file a US tax return even if they live in another country.

Edited August 25, 2023 by lisiamc

[Smitheroo]

3 hours ago, Asawi said:

EU health care benefits are not about citizenship but rather residency as @LauraAnneC says.

We have to be covered by healthcare in our EU home country to be eligble for benefits in another country. And to be covered by healthcare we need to live and be registered to pay tax in that country. 

If that senator was treated free of charge he was lucky or covered by something else than this.

Ok, sometimes info on websites isnt completely accurate. Out of curiosity I will look into this.Isnt everyone covered for health care in their own EU Country? Why wouldnt that be the case.

 

The senator I referred to was treated for an accident. I read (in more than one place) that anyone can be treated for an accident free of charge.  If this is wrong then information in many places is misleading.   He said that he never received any bill or asked to pay at the time. Its possible he gave his own health insurance information from the US  and * that * was billed, I dont know, good question.  He insisted there was no charge and that this is what we need in the U.S.  He then went on to say that the accident revealed a health problem that he has started treatment for in the U.S. and that has cost him significant money (even with health insurance)  

 

Sources point out that EU Citizenship  can allow unrestricted residence in an EU country rather than the 3 month limit in the normal tourist situation.  Maybe *that's* how you can access the health care system. Get a residence first through your EU Citzenship.

 

This is why I like to ask questions and not assume

[steamboats]

Here in Germany there´s nothing like a free treatment. In other EU countries there is. As a German with public health care in Germany I do get the same treatment in any other EU country as a local with public health care gets. So in Spain public health care is free but that might be less than you get as public health care in Germany. So when I get sick in Spain I get the same treatmen as a Spanish (and I might get more/better treatment in Germany).

 

O.k. I have private insurance so I have to pay anyway whereever I am in EU.

 

steamboats

[Smitheroo]

3 hours ago, LauraAnneC said:

As far as I know you will be treated if you’re in an accident but they will come looking for payment afterwards. My uncle who is Irish by birth was ill in Ireland a few years ago and received great care here. He has an Irish passport but his American health insurance paid the bills. He didn’t have a travel insurance but he really should have. I wouldn’t count on getting free healthcare. No one that I know who lives in various parts of Europe would ever dream of travelling without travel insurance. 
 

As far as I’m aware also the free accident cover may cover the immediate aftermath of the accident but any other necessary procedures would not be covered. 
 

Hope this helps. 

Yes, it does help.  Not that Intend to rely on this- I only obtained EU citizenship because I thought it was a cool thing to do. At my age I'm not going planning a move to Europe, work, or go to school there.  I do like to be accurate though and not spread misinformation so I am going to research this. The senator was emphatic he was not billed. He said nothing  about them billing his U.S. health insurance.  He is a proponent of Universal Healthcare coverage but I am hoping he was not misleading intentionally. They (in Spain)  did a CT Scan because of the accident (which he said he almost refused) and that's when the other health issue became apparent.  He was clear that they didnt treat the new issue. He came home for that treatment. 

 

I'm wondering if your Uncle's U.S. health insurance was billed because it could be. Many US health insurancees will cover foreign travel. Mine used to, when I was employed. (not all do) Medicare (most people who are over 65 yrs old in the US have this type of coverage- not all i.e.past federal employment, military etc.) does not cover medical treatment outside of the US  and even Medicare supplemental insurance only covers a small amount (my supplemental policy coverage has  a $50,000 lifetime limit which is not really adequate)  

[Smitheroo]

8 minutes ago, steamboats said:

Here in Germany there´s nothing like a free treatment. In other EU countries there is. As a German with public health care in Germany I do get the same treatment in any other EU country as a local with public health care gets. So in Spain public health care is free but that might be less than you get as public health care in Germany. So when I get sick in Spain I get the same treatmen as a Spanish (and I might get more/better treatment in Germany).

 

O.k. I have private insurance so I have to pay anyway whereever I am in EU.

 

steamboats

OK, interesting, thank you.  Why do you have private insurance, if you dont mind me asking.   Do you feel you have better coverage?

[Smitheroo]

4 hours ago, Asawi said:

Yep! Once again @LauraAnneC beats me! 😄 Emergency care will be given if needed, but rest assured they'll go looking for payment afterwards! In case of a road accident where a EU motor vehicle is considered to have caused the accident it will come from the compulsory vehicle insurance. In other cases with no other insurance it may come to you as HUGE bill! 

Maybe that senator's accident had to do with that vehicle insurance I mentioned or they had some sort of insurance of their own that maybe they didn't realize actually included accident protection.

 

That is interesting information to add.   I think he was in a car with a driver, perhaps hired,   I'm not sure but I dont think another vehicle was involved. The vehicle he was in hit a boar in the middle of the road.    Sounds like health care is *just* as complicated in Europe as it is here.   Hmmmmm

[Smitheroo]

3 hours ago, lisiamc said:

A US citizen is restricted to spending a maximum of 90 days in a rolling 180 days in the EU, unless they are resident in an EU country. As an EU citizen you can spend as long as you wish, although you will be regarded as tax resident after a certain number of days spent in one country. In Italy, it’s 180 days/year. In that case, you would be a taxpayer in two countries, since all US citizens must file a US tax return even if they live in another country.

More interesting facts to add lol!   I dont recall reading anything about paying taxes although I *have * read in some of the explanations of why dual citizenship is not always great, because you can be taxed by 2 countries. However... the word *can* is important.  What if income is low as in the case of retired US citizens with dual citizenship. My mother was a US citizen (naturalized)  and a UK citizen (by birth)  She lived in England for several years, with my US born father, and no longer working. I dont believe she paid taxes to either country. I could be wrong but if she did, the taxes were minimal, as retired people. 

[steamboats]

9 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

OK, interesting, thank you.  Why do you have private insurance, if you dont mind me asking.   Do you feel you have better coverage?

 

In Germany you can get private insurance when you have reached a certain monthly income or when you are working as a government employee (50% of your health costs are payed by the state/government and for the other 50% you have to get private insurance). So in my case it's because of my job.

 

steamboats 

[Asawi]

33 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

Ok, sometimes info on websites isnt completely accurate. Out of curiosity I will look into this.Isnt everyone covered for health care in their own EU Country? Why wouldnt that be the case.

 

The senator I referred to was treated for an accident. I read (in more than one place) that anyone can be treated for an accident free of charge.  If this is wrong then information in many places is misleading.   He said that he never received any bill or asked to pay at the time. Its possible he gave his own health insurance information from the US  and * that * was billed, I dont know, good question.  He insisted there was no charge and that this is what we need in the U.S.  He then went on to say that the accident revealed a health problem that he has started treatment for in the U.S. and that has cost him significant money (even with health insurance)  

 

Sources point out that EU Citizenship  can allow unrestricted residence in an EU country rather than the 3 month limit in the normal tourist situation.  Maybe *that's* how you can access the health care system. Get a residence first through your EU Citzenship.

 

This is why I like to ask questions and not assume

You can come and live in a EU country if you're a EU citizen. Once you actually LIVE in that country, ie have a permanent address (and pay taxes and actually contribute and not just take advantage of the system...)  you're entitled to healthcare benefits. As already has been said, emergency care is available for everyone, even tourists, but "only" what's needed for survival and maybe a little more. 

As for the senator I honestly can't imagine he didn't have any kind of insurance going to Spain. Of course his US health insurance had nothing to do with this, but he most likely had some sort of travel insurance. And FWIW, if he's a politician with an agenda I would take his words with a grain of salt.

[Smitheroo]

3 minutes ago, Asawi said:

You can come and live in a EU country if you're a EU citizen. Once you actually LIVE in that country, ie have a permanent address (and pay taxes and actually contribute and not just take advantage of the system...)  you're entitled to healthcare benefits. As already has been said, emergency care is available for everyone, even tourists, but "only" what's needed for survival and maybe a little more. 

As for the senator I honestly can't imagine he didn't have any kind of insurance going to Spain. Of course his US health insurance had nothing to do with this, but he most likely had some sort of travel insurance. And FWIW, if he's a politician with an agenda I would take his words with a grain of salt.

You have made good points.  He certainly has US health insurance, he admitted that. A person in his position definitely would.  It is not unusual for US health insurance to cover foreign travel. I know because in 2013 when I planned a TA to England I called my insurance and asked them. (because my TA insisted my insurance would not cover me in Europe)  The person said yes, you have the same coverage as you do in the US , just try to get the bill in English. (I may not have told her exactly where I was going for her to say that) But that ends at age 65 for the majority of people.  "Original" Medicare does not cover outside of the US  (there are different types of Medicare and some offer some foreign coverage)  One problem (there are many) with US health insurance is its inequality. Some people have great health insurance either through planning or luck (just happened to find a job with great benefits and when you are young, benefits arent something you give much thought to) while others have lousy insurance or none at all.  There are many scenarios that would lead to the last two categories.  He does have an "agenda", he is a politician trying to bring about a single payer health insurance system in the US because he has first hand knowledge of the effect of not having that has on the people he represents (Latinos in Texas)   Maybe I am making too much of the "free coverage" he said  he received and missed the over all message but I also specifically remember him saying that he never received a bill or asked to pay. So, there could be more to this story.   

[VMax1700]

6 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

I also have an EU Passport.

The EU does not issue passports.  They are issued by the individual member country.  Which passport do you have?  

Even with my Irish passport I still need to apply for a Health Card to show my details to obtain health cover in other EU countries.  If I don't have that card then I can expect to pay.  I may not be asked to pay, but I would expect to be asked for payment or insurance.

[Smitheroo]

35 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

In Germany you can get private insurance when you have reached a certain monthly income or when you are working as a government employee (50% of your health costs are payed by the state/government and for the other 50% you have to get private insurance). So in my case it's because of my job.

 

steamboats 

That is something I didnt know!   Nor do many others in the US who dont have personal knowledge of Germany.   I know in some countries you can "go private"  but its seems from what you wrote that in Germany if you make a certain amount of income ( income dependent) or if you work for the government you pay 50%., the government pays 50%.   Is this mandatory or is it a privelege, in order to get exceptional coverage? 

 

In the US those against a single payer, universal coverage system say it wouldnt work here. What you are describing sounds like a modified version

[steamboats]

@Smitheroo that 50/50 thing only applies to people working for the government Like teachers, police and more. Regular emoyees can change to private insurance when the earn a certain amount but they have to insure 100%. Also when you're self employed you can change to private insurance.

 

steamboats 

Edited August 25, 2023 by steamboats

[Smitheroo]

Just now, VMax1700 said:

The EU does not issue passports.  They are issued by the individual member country.  Which passport do you have?  

Even with my Irish passport I still need to apply for a Health Card to show my details to obtain health cover in other EU countries.  If I don't have that card then I can expect to pay.  I may not be asked to pay, but I would expect to be asked for payment or insurance.

Yes, I realize what you are saying. My passport is issued by Ireland, as a member of the EU.   I dont have the actual passport *yet* as they are being real pains in the *** about a certain requirement but I think it will be approved soon. 

 

I didnt know about the health card, but it makes sense.  I dont expect to use this feature of  EU citizenship, mainly because I am unsure of how it works (which is obvious from this thread lol)   Are you an Irish resident? Because the US citizen with dual citizenship would not necessarily have a residency in an EU country and therefore would not have a Health Card. I'm wondering if its something that can be prioritized if needed. For example, in the US if someone ends up in a hospital in an acute care situation if they dont have health insurance the social workers in that hospital would get the process for determining eligibility for public healthcare (income dependent, i.e. known as MediCAID, or something similar depending on which state you live in) going immediately.  Since its income dependent, not everyone qualifies.

[Smitheroo]

4 hours ago, lisiamc said:

A US citizen is restricted to spending a maximum of 90 days in a rolling 180 days in the EU, unless they are resident in an EU country. As an EU citizen you can spend as long as you wish, although you will be regarded as tax resident after a certain number of days spent in one country. In Italy, it’s 180 days/year. In that case, you would be a taxpayer in two countries, since all US citizens must file a US tax return even if they live in another country.

So you could move from EU country to EU country assuming you didnt need to earn a living.

[Smitheroo]

13 minutes ago, steamboats said:

@Smitheroo that 50/50 thing only applies to people working for the government Like teachers, police and more. Regular emoyees can change to private insurance when the earn a certain amount but they have to insure 100%. Also when you're self employed you can change to private insurance.

 

steamboats 

Is it mandatory that government employees do 50/50  or is it optional to get better coverage?  It sounds like regular employees who earn a certain income can choose to change to 50/50 or all private.  Why would they want to do that.  Sorry for all the questions but I am very interested in how this works.

[VMax1700]

The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) is issued by the HSE (Health Service Executive) in Ireland.  You should usually be residing in Ireland and already have an Irish PPSN (Personal Public Service Number).  A PPSN is issued at birth or you must apply when residing/intending to reside in Ireland.  The PPSN is the equivalent of your Social Security Number.

Details here: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/ehic/apply/

[VMax1700]

In Ireland there is a necessity for Private Health Insurance as the Public system is seriously over strectch and no matter how much money is thrown at it, fails to achieve even modest levels of care.  Therefore to achieve some semblance of care it is necessary to have insurance which will pay for private hospital, care, specialists etc.

[lisiamc]

20 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

So you could move from EU country to EU country assuming you didnt need to earn a living.

If you really applied yourself, you could spend 180 days in Italy, for example, and 180 days in France, which I think might have the same default tax requirement, and have to pay taxes in three countries! Three taxmen are two too many, in my view.😫