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 discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Education, (b) NHS executives and (c) the EU on the status of the EU health insurance card for UK students studying abroad from September 2019 in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
On 19 March 2019, I laid a Written Ministerial 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 includes specific guidance for students and with regards to European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs).
Discussions about EHICs, including for students, forms part of the broader negotiations with the European Commission and Member States about continued reciprocal healthcare arrangements.
Subject to Parliament ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement, current reciprocal healthcare rights will continue during the implementation period until 31 December 2020. This includes EHICs for students.
In a ‘no deal’ scenario, the United Kingdom Government has proposed to EU Member States that we should maintain the existing healthcare arrangements until 31 December 2020, with the aim of minimising disruption to UK nationals’ and EU citizens’ healthcare provision. The UK cannot unilaterally guarantee people’s healthcare cover if they live abroad, as this depends on decisions by Member States.
Currently, students residing in the UK who are going on a placement abroad are entitled to a UK-issued EHIC to cover healthcare costs for the duration of their placement. We cannot guarantee that this will continue for all EU Member States in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario where the existing arrangements are not extended.
UK nationals living in or travelling to the EU should ensure they are taking the necessary steps to prepare including taking out comprehensive health insurance and ensuring they access up-to-date information on GOV.UK and NHS.UK at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/overseas-living-in-guides