Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2017
638. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if persons who need access to the life-changing drug Respreeza have the option of accessing it abroad via the cross-Border directive health care scheme. [10298/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Directive 2011/24/EU on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare aims to ensure EU citizens may access safe and good quality healthcare services across EU borders. The Directive establishes a framework for cross border healthcare between EU/EEA states to facilitate patients to access care in another Member State in accordance with their entitlements in their own country. Under the Directive, known as the Cross Border Healthcare Directive (CBD), insured patients are entitled to have the costs of cross-border healthcare services reimbursed if the healthcare service in question is among the benefits to which they are entitled in their Member State of affiliation. As such, it allows Irish residents to avail of healthcare in other EU or EEA (excluding Switzerland) Member States that they would be entitled to within the public health system in Ireland, which is not contrary to Irish legislation
Therefore, as this drug is not currently available within the public health system in Ireland, it would not be possible to avail of it abroad under the Cross Border Directive.
