AFF’s overseas team spotted a trend in forces personnel assigned overseas reporting difficulties fulfilling the UK residency rules when applying for their first Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC), and renewing expiring European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs).
Some applications were refused multiple times, leaving families at risk of losing state health coverage when they were away from their duty station.
AFF raised several cases with the Cross-Border Healthcare team in the Department of Health and Social Care. As a result, the NHS Business Services Authority has completed a review of standard operating procedures for applications from overseas by service personnel and their families. It said this should improve the experience.
AFF’s Overseas Manager Esther confirmed the guidance for members of the armed forces has also been updated. Personnel and family members should now use bit.ly/ForcesGHIC when applying for a GHIC from a BFPO address.
Should families experience any issues with GHICs not being accepted overseas please report this as a separate concern to overseassupport@aff.org.uk