Published 3 July 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a676
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a676

News

European Commission proposes rules for cross border health care

¹ Brussels

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The European Commission has tabled draft legislation setting out rules whereby patients who choose to receive medical treatment in another European Union country would be reimbursed by their national health authority.

The proposal follows several judgments over the past decade by the European Court of Justice confirming that individuals have the right to be reimbursed for health care they receive abroad, subject to certain conditions. However, uncertainty over the exact way the right should be exercised and the effects that an increase in demand would have on countries’ health services have prompted governments to ask for clear pan-European legislation on the issue.

As the EU’s health commissioner, Androulla Vassiliou, explained when presenting the proposal on 2 July: "This aims to clarify how patients can exercise their rights to cross border health care, while at the same time providing legal certainty for member states and healthcare providers."

The commission insists that . . . [Full text of this article]

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