Healthcare Payments to the EEA and Switzerland

Tuesday 22nd February 2022 Written Statements

[The Minister for Health (Edward Argar)]

First Annual Report on International Healthcare Payments under the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019

I have today laid before Parliament the first annual report on international healthcare payments pursuant to section 6 of the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019.

The 2019 Act was enacted as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. It provided the legislative means to respond to a wide range of possible outcomes of the UK’s exit from the EU in relation to reciprocal healthcare, including the implementation of new reciprocal healthcare agreements with a European economic area (EEA) state, Switzerland or an international organisation.

The 2019 Act implements the social security co-ordination protocol to the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement. That agreement ensures UK residents continue to benefit from reciprocal healthcare arrangements, including covering necessary healthcare when travelling to Europe (previously known as the EHIC scheme, now the GHIC scheme). Planned healthcare arrangements have also continued after EU exit (known as the S2 scheme); and eligible pensioners, frontier workers and certain other groups can have their healthcare costs covered when they move to the EU (known as S1 scheme). Under the 2019 Act, the UK has also implemented the various separation agreements with the European economic area and Switzerland.

Building on the successful continuation of EU reciprocal healthcare agreements, the Government now wish to negotiate further agreements with other states to bring greater benefits for UK nationals. The Health and Care Bill includes amendments to the 2019 Act which will enable us to implement comprehensive healthcare agreements with countries outside the EEA and Switzerland.

This report covers payments made under the powers conferred by the 2019 Act between the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 and 31 March 2021. During this period only one payment was made under the 2019 Act payment powers for discretionary planned treatment. Other payments made to the EEA and Switzerland during this period were for healthcare incurred prior to the end of the transition period. These payments are reimbursable as a matter of EU law and not therefore paid pursuant to the 2019 Act. Member states are now in the process of submitting claims which have been paid under the 2019 Act, details of which will be provided in the second report which will be published after the end of March 2022.

[HCWS619]