Current legislation on cross-border health care in the European Union

Abstract

This chapter elaborates the fragmentation of health care delivery systems in the European Union (EU). It reviews the content of the complex legal rules requiring EU Member States to reimburse citizens for health care received in other Member States. The EU Regulations on social security have placed the right of European citizens to move, work, and reside within the Union into practice. The codification of the “second track” of statutory entitlement to benefits for planned cross-border health care in the EU is the central part of the Patient Rights' Directive. This Directive has several advantages for patients who look for health care services abroad or have received such health care. In general, the new EU Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border health care is a first step to facilitate access to safe and high-quality cross-border health care in the EU and to ensure patient mobility throughout Europe.