Information and links on Cross-border Healthcare

All citizens of the European Union have the right to cross-border healthcare. Rules are provided for facilitating the access to safe and high-quality healthcare in not only ones own country, but within another EU member state as well. The EU promotes cooperation on healthcare between Member States, in full respect of national competencies in organising and delivering healthcare. Below several links can be found that contain information on patients’ exact rights, as well as the full list of National Contact Points (NCP) who can be contacted if you are looking for healthcare in a different EU Member State:

1. Information on planned medical treatment abroad
2. Toolbox for patients including manual, glossary, checklist, FAQs for incoming/outgoing patients
3. Q&A on Patients’ Rights in Cross-Border Healthcare
4. The List of National Contact Points in Cross-border Healthcare 
5. ERN webpage in DG SANTE on the Cross-border Healthcare Directive
6. The conferences organised by DG SANTE on the Cross-border Healthcare Directive with its website and corresponding report:
   • Webpage of the Conference 2016
   • Report of the Conference 2016
   • Webpage of the Conference 2018
   • Report of the Conference 2018 (, pdf)
7. On the interplay between healthcare accessed under the Cross-border Healthcare Directive and referral abroad under the Social Security Regulations, the German NCP website provides a fair overview in English, outlining advantages and disadvantages of options:
   • Who pays for planned treatment in Germany?
   • Advantages and disadvantages of the cost reimbursement methods in case of planned treatment as if you had statutory or private health insurance in Germany