Parliament backs rights of patients to healthcare without borders

2.35.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 23rd Apr 2009

Today the European Parliament approved the first step toward a European patient area by adopting a report on cross-border health. People with rare diseases will be able to receive medical care throughout the EU. European Liberals are delighted that the attempt by the Greens and the GUE to block the report failed. The PSE abstained.

Jules Maaten (VVD, Netherlands) ALDE Health Issues Coordinator: "Today's vote is a victory for all Europeans who are suffering from rare diseases and other serious illnesses. They will be able to receive medical care abroad without having to worry about costs, safety and quality. At the moment complex rules and legal uncertainty can be a barrier for people without financial means to access private health care. This directive will ensure equal access for all patients to cross border health services." He concludes: "Today the interests of patients prevailed over the interests of national health care bureaucracies."

Alan Butt Philip, lead candidate for the Lib Dems in Wales believes that the Greens, GUE and Socialists have a lot to explain to their citizens during the upcoming election campaigns: "I do not understand that people who preach a social Europe do not want to give patients the right to get the treatment they need. Is it social to vote against legislation that benefits the European citizen in a concrete way? This is not about liberalisation of health care services, but about free movement of patients. The directive will not interfere in the way national health care systems are organised. They are playing political games on the backs of European patients."

Karin Riis-Jorgensen (Denmark, Venstre), ALDE shadow in the IMCO committee, is satisfied that a European ombudsman for patient's rights will be introduced: "A European Ombudsman will secure the rights of patients on matters like prior authorisation, quality and the reimbursement of treatment abroad. He will guarantee patient's rights and make sure that complaints are dealt with in time and with care."

The directive gives patients the right to non-hospitalisation care in other Member States to the extent that they would be covered in their own Member State. They do not need prior authorisation and will be reimbursed by their own social security system. Patients may also seek hospital care in another Member State and get the costs reimbursed, but in this case the Member States can require prior authorisation. The directive ensures free movement of and better information for patients. Furthermore, it will increase cooperation between health care systems by sharing expertise, innovation and information.

For more information: http://www.patients-rights.eu/