Policy symposium on Cross-Border Healthcare

1^st July 2015, Brussels (BE)

This meeting gathered national authorities, researches and other stakeholders working on care organisation and delivery. It focused on aspects of cross-border healthcare such as reimbursement and patient rights.

The presented findings highlighted that, even though the impact of cross-border healthcare on total health expenditure is relatively low, there are persisting issues that require attention. Thus, a policy framework is needed to address the structural imbalances in EU health care systems, promoting equal access to quality care for all. This has to include a right to reimbursement for health care treatment abroad (Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 & Directive 2011/24/EU) and focus on the transfer of expertise and pooling of resources to support greater efficiency through cross-border cooperation.

The event provided the opportunity to showcase the ExPO-r-Net project in a presentation of its forward-looking goals and activities to reduce inequalities in survival by improving the quality of healthcare across Europe, with particular focus on countries with low (annual) health care expenditures.