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The European Commission is set to publish a health directive which will make it easier for EU citizens to travel to another EU Member State to receive specific medical treatment.
The directive is controversial with critics in the UK claiming that it could mean that UK patients could travel and pay for private healthcare abroad and claim their money back from Britain. Critics argue that if such a situation is allowed it would in effect destroy the NHS.
The British Government meanwhile believe that the directive would have only a limited impact thanks to an opt-out clause. In situations whereby a Government can prove that the law would undermine planning in their health service they can partially opt-out of the scheme. In effect this would mean that the local NHS Trusts would have to approve both the treatment and the costs before allowing patients to travel abroad.
Despite the Commission drafting and redrafting the proposals and the Department of Health’s assurances that the draft directive will be subject to change during negotiations, opposition to the plans remains resolute. Former UK Health Secretary, Frank Dobson has described the current plan as ‘catastrophic’ adding that
“MPs and trade unions will do all they can to avoid this Brussels directive becoming law here.”
Meanwhile Spain and Germany have also voiced concerns with some aspects of the plan.
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