EU in danger of two-tier health system, warns MEP

The EU's plan to make it easier for patients to be treated in a different member state is good in theory but could go badly wrong, according to Irish MEP Kathy Sinnott.

Speaking to TheParliament.com ahead of the release of the directive on cross-border patient rights, Sinnott said, "We’re looking at a real two-tier health system in Europe. If you have bills being sent from 26 other countries to you, how do you budget for your health system?"

The proposals, originally forecast for release last December but pulled by commission president José Manuel Barroso at the last minute due to "bad timing", aim to lay down the rules governing how people travel to other member states for treatment.

Under current rules on social security, EU citizens can be reimbursed for care received in another country, but need prior authorisation from consultants.

The new directive would build on decisions made by the European court of justice in recent years, meaning that patients seeking non-hospital treatment would no longer require this authorisation.

But critics of the directive fear it will cause an imbalance between member states. According to Sinnott, because a member state like Ireland has a poor health system, it will not reap the benefits of the new EU rules.

"It will work negatively for us because our medical system hasn’t the capacity to take advantage of services like this," she said.

"It means we will never be able to catch up and have a good medical system in Ireland because the money will be going to other systems.

"To me it’s a good idea that will go badly wrong."

The directive, to be released on Wednesday, says that patients who go abroad should pay first and be reimbursed after treatment and that member states are responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of the services they provide.

It also introduces measures to encourage better cooperation between countries, including making it easier for prescriptions to be recognised across the EU.

But for Sinnott, opening up the market and taking away the need to have a consultant sign off on medical procedures abroad will encourage health tourism, benefiting the rich.

"It will be open to people not desperately in need, who are maybe computer-savvy and can afford to pay up front," she told this website.

The directive on cross-border patient rights forms a part of what the commission is calling the renewed social agenda, and also includes proposals on works councils and anti-discrimination.

Commenting ahead of the launch of the package, PES president Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said, “Can we hope for proposals that put people first without costing member states too much on health treatment abroad? The commission president still has a chance to surprise us positively. It’s Barroso’s last chance in this commission’s last year.

“Tomorrow will show us how far he is willing to go. I fear we will be disappointed.”

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