Latest information re obtaining treatment abroad

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LATEST INFORMATION ON OBTAINING

TREATMENT IN EU for UK patients

The House of Lords has issued a very positive report on UK patients obtaining treatment in EU.

They made one important point: patients should have their fees paid directly to the health provider in EU, rather than having to claim a refund, as they thought this would rule against those without funds.

Go to http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeucom/30/97

Maya from Brussels e-mails with an up-date on what is being discussed for proposed changes in 2010; Clause 4 is particularly interesting as it refers to previously granted funding for UK patients:

1. The proposed Directive on the Application of patients’ rights in cross border healthcare has not yet entered into force. The Directive is currently being discussed within the European Parliament and within the Health Council working group (civil servants from each Member State). This is a long process which will include amendments to the proposal currently published. In the end, the European parliament and all EU health ministers need to agree on the final law which will then be in force in all EU countries.

2. The proposed Directive relates specifically to patients being able to choose where they go for treatment. Patients will need to pay up-front and are later reimbursed by their home country (national health insurer or health authority) as long as they have a right to this treatment at home, and up to the level of reimbursement for the same or similar treatment in their national health system.

3. In other words, the Directive is about giving patients more choice on where they get the treatment.

4. If patients can’t get treatment on their National Health System because the waiting list is too long or the treatment does not exisist then it is up to the National Health System of the country to provide prior authorisation to the patient. This will then enable the patient to travel for treatment and they will not need to pay up front.

This refers to another law that is already in force – the EU regulation on coordination of social security. The case of Avene that you mention might come under this Regulation if patients were sent there by their heath authority without having to pay up front.

More info on http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/doc/crossborder_brochure_en.pdf

or http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_security_schemes/healthcare/e112/conditions_en.htm

and good luck – you need a wet cloth and headache pills to understand these sites!

The Regulation on coordiantion of social security and can be accessed here:
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_security_schemes/healthcare/index_en.htm

and also check up-to-date information on www.after-cancer.com/treatmentineurope