Health has borders in the European Union. Limits to the reimbursement of medical expenses in the scheduled treatments

Abstract

The right to receive health provisions in another member State of the European Union is based on a complex regulation, which has very heterogeneous possibilities. When the aim of the trip is to go under medical treatment previously planned, it is vital to offer the patient clear information about the responsibility for the pay of medical expenses. To answer this, and understand the significance and limits of transnational mobility for health reasons, it is necessary to carry out an integrated analysis of the diverse laws at a European and national level. The prevalence of the principle of financial balance of the national health systems justifies the restriction regarding the reimbursement of the medical expenses, which is limited to national regulation. Therefore it is relevant to analyse the main characteristics of the National Health System, the role of the main services portfolio and the complementary regional portfolios, and the issues that arise due to the health service territorial decentralisation regarding cohesion and coordination.