We often talk on this blog about individual case studies of treatment abroad, but what about the bigger political picture? According to an article in the Health Services Journal, the Department of Health is preparing itself to challenge the European Court of Justice on the rights of UK citizens to be treated abroad at the NHS’s expense.
Draft guidance issued by the DH warns that a draft European Union Directive means that NHS commissioners have “limited grounds” to refuse to reimburse UK citizens the cost of their care if they opt to have it elsewhere in the EU. The guidance says that in general, primary care trusts must reimburse the patient up to the NHS price of the treatment. It says that should include treatment carried out privately, but PCTs should not pay for care that would not have been provided by the NHS, such as certain cosmetic surgery or dental implants etc. So this sounds like some good news for anyone in the UK considering treatment abroad…
But not so fast –according to the Health Services Journal, the DH is gearing up for a battle with the European Court of Justice against reimbursing us for treatment abroad, as it will demand that patients wanting expensive or “hospital” treatment ask their PCT’s permission first. Draft regulations from the DH define this as: services requiring at least one night’s stay; surgery; services using “specialised and cost intensive medical equipment”; expensive and specialist services and any other services specified by the PCT or health secretary. This requirement has not been defined by the European Courts of Justice, although they have ruled pre-authorisation before treatment abroad can be justified.
So what does this mean for people considering treatment abroad? Well, at the moment, not much – we will have to wait to see for the final EU directive, and see how the DH choose to respond. In the meantime, if you are considering treatment abroad it is best to prepare as much as you can, including talking to your local PCT, special information sites e.g. http://www.treatmentabroad.net/ and obtaining your specialist travel insurance, and finding out about funding or support options.
