EU Directives

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2014

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Ceisteanna (445)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

445. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the arrangements that have been made in order to give effect to the cross-border health care directive; if measures have been put in place to inform those currently on hospital waiting lists of their rights to health care under this directive; if the Health Service Executive has informed those on waiting lists of their rights to access health care under this directive; the number of persons who have applied for reimbursement under this directive since it came into operation under Irish law; the number of persons who have successfully availed of reimbursement under this directive since it came into operation; the amount of funding that has been allocated for the provision of healthcare under this directive in both budget 2014 and budget 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40269/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare provides rules for the reimbursement to patients’ of the cost of receiving treatment abroad, where the patient would be entitled to such treatment in their home Member State (Member State of Affiliation) and supplements the rights that patients already have at EU level through the legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (Regulation 883/04). The Directive seeks to ensure a clear and transparent framework for the provision of cross-border healthcare within the EU, for those occasions where the care the patient seeks is provided in another Member State rather than in their home country. However, it should be emphasised that the vast majority of EU patients receive healthcare in their own country and prefer to do so.

A Statutory Instrument to transpose the Directive was signed on 14th May, 2014. The European Communities (Application of Patient’s Rights in Cross-Border Healthcare) Regulations - S.I. 203 of 2014 - commenced on 1st June 2014 and subsequently the HSE is in the position to operate the terms of the Directive. The S.I. provides for reimbursement by the HSE of qualifying cross-border healthcare, a system of prior authorisation and the placing of the National Contact Point (NCP) on a statutory basis.

The principal function of the National Contact Point is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements. The National Contact Point also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the rights, if any, that they may have through the legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (Regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The National Contact Point is able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another Member State.

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the remaining parts of this question and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.