Cross-border health care
NAT-VII/001
Cross-border health care
The opinion on the implementation of cross border healthcare (CBHC) will look into legal, administrative, financial and other barriers affecting adversely the rights of European patients traveling abroad to receive treatment. Not only CBHC gives the patient freedom of choice in terms of practice, accessibility and appropriate care, it also promotes free movement of people, goods and services. Moreover, it overcomes the gaps in availability of healthcare services in some regions.
Likewise, the opinion will explore the regional dimension of healthcare provision and will specifically address the challenges faced by border regions, accounting for 40% of EU's territory where more than 1 out 3 Europeans.
Finally, the opinion will provide the European Commission with a local and regional assessment of the effects of the Directive and will be complemented by the results of the RegHub consultation. As such it can be construed as part of the "Better Regulation" process and is set to contribute to raising awareness about the Directive and to improve its implementation by removing outstanding barriers and guaranteeing respect for patients' rights to access safe and high quality care services anywhere within the Union.
Likewise, the opinion will explore the regional dimension of healthcare provision and will specifically address the challenges faced by border regions, accounting for 40% of EU's territory where more than 1 out 3 Europeans.
Finally, the opinion will provide the European Commission with a local and regional assessment of the effects of the Directive and will be complemented by the results of the RegHub consultation. As such it can be construed as part of the "Better Regulation" process and is set to contribute to raising awareness about the Directive and to improve its implementation by removing outstanding barriers and guaranteeing respect for patients' rights to access safe and high quality care services anywhere within the Union.
The opinion has influenced the Fit for Future report - part of the Better Regulation process - adopted in December 2021.It is also referenced in the third implementation report by the European Commission, published 12.05.2022. The latter includes passages like:
"During the conformity check, the Commission did not identify that healthcare providers are setting, or are allowed to set, discriminatory prices for patients from other Member States, which would contradict the above principles. However, the Fit for Future Platform 21 notes the findings of the European Committee of the Regions report 22 that a scale of medical fees charged on patients is not readily available in all Member States. Its opinion therefore calls for improving information on applicable fees for treatments in Member States."
"The European Committee of the Regions supported 26 the use of prior authorisation where necessary to protect health systems, and promoted the use of prior notification to provide patients with clarity on their healthcare costs and to support authorities in complying with their obligations under the Directive."
"During the conformity check, the Commission did not identify that healthcare providers are setting, or are allowed to set, discriminatory prices for patients from other Member States, which would contradict the above principles. However, the Fit for Future Platform 21 notes the findings of the European Committee of the Regions report 22 that a scale of medical fees charged on patients is not readily available in all Member States. Its opinion therefore calls for improving information on applicable fees for treatments in Member States."
"The European Committee of the Regions supported 26 the use of prior authorisation where necessary to protect health systems, and promoted the use of prior notification to provide patients with clarity on their healthcare costs and to support authorities in complying with their obligations under the Directive."
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- Underlines that local and regional authorities are crucial to cross-border healthcare;
- Invites the Commission to engage in a regular dialogue with the European Committee of the Regions, including the NAT commission and the Interregional Group on Health as well as active regions interested and involved in the matter;
- Emphasises that any increase in cross-border patient mobility must be based on individual patient circumstances, and is not an end in itself;
- Stresses the importance of readily accessible information on health care under the terms of the directive and will work together with the Commission on solutions and best practices;
- Points out that national health authorities, when implementing the directive, should take care to ensure that the very small proportion of patients wishing to receive treatment in another EU country does not place a disproportionate burden on resources in their own health systems;
- Welcomes the effective use of prior authorisations as a means of financial certainty for patients and calls on the Member States to make prior authorisation as swift as possible;
- Invites Member States to make more use of prior notification as a tool to provide patients with clarity about cross-border treatment;
- Requests adequate and long-term EU funding in the next programming period;
- Reiterates that diseases know no borders and that European health emergency solidarity should never stop at administrative or legal borders;
- Expects the forthcoming third implementation report from the European Commission to fully reflect the considerations of the CoR.
- Underlines that local and regional authorities are crucial to cross-border healthcare;
- Invites the Commission to engage in a regular dialogue with the European Committee of the Regions, including the NAT commission and the Interregional Group on Health as well as active regions interested and involved in the matter;
- Emphasises that any increase in cross-border patient mobility must be based on individual patient circumstances, and is not an end in itself;
- Stresses the importance of readily accessible information on health care under the terms of the directive and will work together with the Commission on solutions and best practices;
- Points out that national health authorities, when implementing the directive, should take care to ensure that the very small proportion of patients wishing to receive treatment in another EU country does not place a disproportionate burden on resources in their own health systems;
- Welcomes the effective use of prior authorisations as a means of financial certainty for patients and calls on the Member States to make prior authorisation as swift as possible;
- Invites Member States to make more use of prior notification as a tool to provide patients with clarity about cross-border treatment;
- Requests adequate and long-term EU funding in the next programming period;
- Reiterates that diseases know no borders and that European health emergency solidarity should never stop at administrative or legal borders;
- Expects the forthcoming third implementation report from the European Commission to fully reflect the considerations of the CoR.
