EU adopts patients' rights in cross-border healthcare

As part of the Renewed Social Agenda, the Commission adopted a proposal for a directive to facilitate the application of European patients' rights in relation to cross-border healthcare, as well as a Communication on improving co-operation between Member States in this area.
Despite several clear European Court of Justice rulings confirming that the EU Treaty gives individual patients the right to seek healthcare in other Member States and be reimbursed at home, uncertainty remains over how to apply the principles of this jurisprudence more generally. The Commission aims to provide legal certainty on this issue.

The directive's goals are:
Patients have the right to seek healthcare abroad and be reimbursed up to what they would have received at home. The directive will provide clarity over how these rights can be exercised.

Member States are responsible for healthcare provided on their territory. Patients should be confident that the quality and safety standards of the treatment they will receive in another Member State are regularly monitored and based on good medical practices.

Activities in the field of "e-Health" will also be strengthened. Information and communication technologies have enormous potential to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare.

eu/hma