J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by brooksy

U got his phone number. :mrgreen:

As I've said in a previous post,its a pity the guy who sold you the policy doesn't deal with the claims,now that would be interesting. :twisted:

bandit wrote:Brooksy, it did occur to me whilst day dreaming in the shower, that Switzerland is not really 1 country when it comes to laws. Each Canton is independent, and whilst the Federal Govt are meant to make overall legislation, each Canton has self governance, and does it's own thing. Cantons vary with tax rates and rules and regs in lots of areas. I can only describe how Valais behaves towards foreigners waving the EHIC.
I think I would be inclined to make representation to the nearest Swiss Embassy in the Canaries about how you were treated. (I'm a stroppy git mind you) )

Thanks Bandit for your thoughts on my Swiss dilemma.

I must admit to being more than a little disgruntled at the clinic,but what can you do,your strapped down all the way from the mountain to the clinic so escape is impossible.
On arrival at the clinic you are then asked how you are going to pay before examination & treatment, although you wont know what costs are involved till completion.The get out of jail card then goes from EHIC to VISA.
As said before I have set the wheels in motion here although I expect them to be very rusty so time will tell.

To cure daydreaming in the shower take them at night. )

bandit wrote:Brooksy, I think you were very unlucky with the way your treatment was handled. It's worth pointing out that the EHIC is not an EU Agreement but an EEA one, under which Switzerland has formally agreed to provide access to limited medical care for certain foreign visitors despite the country not being in the EEA..if that makes sense!

Thanks for your reply Bandit & yes you're correct in the distinction between the EU & EEA.There is a method of reclaiming costs while in Switzerland but the time to do it was not available,for reclaims in the UK a dept in Newcastle will deal with it,but over here its not simple.
It`s reputed that the canaires are 20 years behind the UK & 10 years behind Spain in respect of infrastructure so as you can see what used to be simplistic is now a pain in the ar#e.
Thats the price of going laid back instead of rat race,still worth it though. 8)
I am still hopeful that I will get some money back,although it will not be all of it,but will post results as & when,so don't hold your breath.

I skied in Engelberg in March & have damaged my knee ligaments after a fall,I was brought down the mountain in the blood wagon into the Titlis gondola then into an adapted taxi to the clinic.
I produced my TSE card the Spanish equivalent to your EHIC & was told that Switzerland is not in the EU.I told them that although Switzerland is not in the EU there is an agreement between the states regarding emergency healthcare,they insisted that they have no knowledge of this condition & refused the card.

I had no alternative but to pay by visa & am now in the process of reclaiming what I can through the health system here.

These EU health cards are for getting emergency health treatment in member states on a short term of visit, including pre existing health conditions at no charge to yourself if using the state system,excluding private treatment.

The problem with Switzerland is the health system is not run by the state,but insists that the population is insured by private health insurers of their own choice,if this point is not completely accurate I apologise as its a complex subject,to me anyway.

Travel insurance covers these & other things as well, ie lost baggage ect,but some insurers want you to have the card as well as it can save them money on health claims & as an incentive if you use it for an injury claim they will waive the excess if one exists.

So if you have normal travel insurance it is still worth having the EU card, its free & easy to obtain.

Oh & no I don't work for them. :)

Same thing happened to me with my first post,I was disappointed as I was asking for helpful info at the time,one guy thought I must be a soft target, as first time poster an all,he got my reply but never apologised. :evil:

In my case & I would suspect others do the same they read posts on this forum for some time to get a taster before signing up & most start with a question rather than offering answers.

To some of the knowledgeable & experienced posters on here of which there are many, some of the posts can look like a wind up, due I would think to the posters lack of knowledge & inexperience.so maybe give them a bit of leeway at least till the second post.

Oh & bye the way I am not having a rant at anyone,because I think this forum is very good & you all made it this way.

tino_11 wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

Tony_H wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

Stewart Dowling wrote:Thanks Tony for kindly showing off my 1939 - 1945 attire, cooly brought into the 21st Century with the additional of a TNF logo.

I will post the picture some time later when I find it of you wearing a helmet too in SC.

Needless to say you dont like as cool as me.

Ring ding ding ding

I can't wait to see Tony with a lid :lol:

Sat on a bus, half cut, helmet perched on my head. It was not being worn on the slopes, thanks. Me like bobbles.

I'm glad to hear it, for one moment I thought I was alone against the lid brigade :lol:

you are not alone Wickers, although I must say I wondered about the merits of one whilst accelerating head first on my back 200m down an icy Harakiri in Mayrhofen last week.

Funny what you think about during something like that:

• oh bugger I'm off
• right, I've landed and I'm conscious
• I appear to be going head first
• and I'm on my back
• hope this doesn't rip my new TNF jacket
• could do with sone new pants
• I'm accelerating
• hope they got me a beer in whilst watching me attempt this
• how do I right myself from here?
• can't get on my front
• will I flip off if I try and arrest with the board?
• still accelerating, can't stop, maybe I should wear a helmet
• try and turn with your elbows, oh bugger I've got my sleeves rolled up
• when will this stop?
• I've stopped, get up and keep going before you panic
• why am I laughing?

You missed one. Hope no ones watching :oops:

freezywater wrote:the thing that amazes me most is that the guy is wearing shorts, what a nutter :-o

If he`skiing rocks why are you surprised he`s wearing shorts,goes with the territory. )