For patients’ rights

“An important step forward for all patients in Europe”: John Dalli, European Commissioner for Health welcomed MEP’s vote in favour of the directive for cross-border healthcare cast during the plenary of mid-January. “The directive clarifies citizens’ rights to access safe and good quality treatment across EU borders, and be reimbursed for it”. A right for everyone. The directive (that applies to public and private health) is the result of an agreement between EU Parliament and Council, which is called to give its final endorsement. Member States will then have 30 months to introduce the measure within national legislation. According to the directive, “EU patients will have the opportunity to receive healthcare treatments abroad and to get reimbursed by their Member State of origin according to precise, definitive criteria”, said EP rapporteur, Françoise Grossetête. Hospital treatments “will be authorized under certain conditions”. The new regulation was supported by a large majority of MEPs. The French MEP declared: “It’s a victory for citizens’ and patients’ rights. Europe thus shows that it is close to individual needs”. The rapporteur pointed out: “Having the possibility of being visited, undergoing surgery or hospital treatment abroad is advantageous especially for patients on long waiting lists and those in need of specialized treatment that is not available in their home Countries”. Grossetête added: “A figure that is common across Europe is that most patients prefer being treated in their home Country. Currently, only about 1%, or €10 billion, of public health budgets are spent on cross-border health care yearly”. However, the new regulations do not apply for the European health insurance that will continue being valid for citizens necessitating urgent treatment when traveling abroad. Good practices. Aren’t you afraid that this directive could lead to a sort of “health tourism” with increasing mobility of patients seeking better treatment abroad? SIR Europe asked Dalli. The Maltese Commissioner reassures: “European citizens prefer to receive their healthcare closer to home. No one wants to travel further than necessary when they are sick. However, sometimes the need for certain treatment leads patients to go abroad. Another reason could simply be that the nearest hospital lies across a border”. Dalli addressed three issues: “The fundamental objective of the directive is to diminish medical inequalities between Countries”. Secondly: “Medical experts across Europe will thus have the opportunity to exchange good practice and mutually benefit from innovations in health technology assessment and eHealth. Thirdly: “From a broader perspective, it is necessary that Member States don’t cut healthcare and medical research funding, despite the ongoing financial crisis”. “Contact points”. Patients seeking advanced, specialized treatment or in need of a diagnosis, have the opportunity to receive healthcare treatment abroad, if it is not available in their Country of origin. According to the EU directive on cross-border healthcare patients can avail themselves of national “contact points” (a concrete area, with the possibility of online access) providing information to patients wishing to be treated abroad and if problems should arise to this regard. National authorities can introduce a system of “prior authorisation” in 3 cases: for healthcare which involves overnight hospital stay of at least one night; for highly specialised and cost-intensive healthcare; in serious and specific cases relating to the quality or safety the care provided abroad. “In these 3 cases”, the EU Commission explains, patients may need to ask for permission in advance from their national health authority in charge of reimbursement. In case of hospital stay abroad the patient pays upfront and would then be reimbursed by their national authority as quickly as possible. However, National health authorities can refuse authorisation “if the treatment in question, or the healthcare provider in question, could present a risk for the patient”. Also, “if appropriate healthcare can be provided at home in good time, authorisation can be refused but Member States will need to explain why such a decision is necessary”.