# European Health Insurance Card usage and provisions > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/european-health-insurance-card-usage-and-provisions > Updated: 2026-08-23T07:59:18.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) facilitates access to medically necessary public or contracted healthcare for citizens during temporary stays across the 27 EU member states, the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In Italy, the EHIC has been embedded within the national health card since November 2004. The system operates on the principle of parity, ensuring citizens receive the same treatment conditions as host-country nationals, though it does not guarantee free-of-charge entitlement or cover private insurance needs like repatriation. In Romania, the card is issued free of charge by the National Health Insurance House and is typically valid for two years. While physical cards generally take seven working days to issue, emergency temporary replacement certificates can be sent via fax or email to hospitals to ensure medical costs are covered during unplanned trips. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-23: European Health Insurance Card guide for travelers The European Health Insurance Card allows Romanian insured persons to access necessary medical care in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, and the UK under the same conditions as local citizens. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-health-insurance-card-guide-for-travelers ### 2026-08-08: Italian Health Card Includes EU Health Insurance Card for Travelers Italy’s health card has housed the EU Health Insurance Card since 2004, letting Italians access necessary public care in EU and EEA states, though it doesn’t replace travel insurance or cover private or repatri 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-health-card-includes-eu-health-insurance-card-for-travelers --- Cite as: European Health Insurance Card usage and provisions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/european-health-insurance-card-usage-and-provisions