Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

(asked on 12th September 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2017 to Question 2509, on health services: reciprocal arrangements, if he will provide the data referred to for 2016-17.


Answered by
Philip Dunne Portrait
Philip Dunne
This question was answered on 18th September 2017

The figures for the United Kingdom’s claims against European Economic Area (EEA) member states and Switzerland for medical costs for 2016/17 are attached.

As stated in the response to Question 2509, under European Union Regulations, other European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland reimburse the UK for the cost of the National Health Service providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law. This includes UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland. In the same way, the UK Government reimburses other EEA countries and Switzerland for the cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under EU law, irrespective of nationality.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will cover any necessary treatment – including pre-existing medical conditions and routine maternity care - until the holder returns home.

It is not possible to separate out claims to other EEA countries from the UK solely linked to EHIC usage. Claims by, and to, the UK for treatment relating to EHICs, are included in a larger category which also includes pre-authorised planned treatments and coverage for posted and frontier workers. It should be noted that Member States, including the UK, can submit claims up to 18 months in arrears so claims for any 12 month period do not necessarily reflect treatment provided in that period.

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