Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
(asked on 19th March 2019) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure reciprocal healthcare arrangements are in place with EU countries after the UK’s leaves the EU.
On 19 March 2019 I laid a written statement (HCWS1429) on the Department’s plans for the continuity of reciprocal healthcare arrangements in the event we exit the European Union without a deal.
This statement sets out that subject to Parliament ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement, in a deal scenario current reciprocal healthcare rights will continue during the implementation period until 31 December 2020. The Withdrawal Agreement and European Free Trade Area (EFTA) Agreements also give longer-term reciprocal healthcare rights to those who are living in or previously worked in the other country on exit day. This will include access to healthcare through the European Health Insurance Card scheme.
The reciprocal healthcare system requires reciprocity from the EU or individual Member States and cannot be protected unilaterally. That is why we have proposed to EU Member States and EFTA states that we should agree arrangements that maintain the existing healthcare arrangements in a ‘no deal’ scenario until 31 December 2020, with the aim of minimising disruption to United Kingdom nationals’ and EU and EFTA state citizens’ healthcare provision. This would mean that we will continue to pay healthcare costs for current or former UK residents for whom the UK has responsibility and who are living or working in or visiting the EU, and that EU and EFTA states can fund healthcare for their citizens in the UK. We are hopeful that we will reach such agreements.
We have published guidance profiles at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/overseas-living-in-guides
We will update the guidance with further developments. Whenever travelling abroad, individuals are always responsible for ensuring they have travel insurance. It is already the case that we advise people to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when working, studying or travelling to the EU and the rest of the world. This will remain our advice in all circumstances.