Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure retired UK citizen living in other EU Member States will have access to healthcare in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The United Kingdom Government appreciates the importance of retaining reciprocal healthcare arrangements with the European Union and has been clear in the negotiations that it wants to protect the rights of UK citizens in the EU. Extensive work to prepare for a ‘no deal’ scenario, including contingency planning, has been under way for over two years and we are taking necessary steps to ensure the country continues to operate smoothly from the day we leave.
Subject to the Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by Parliament, during the implementation period the current rules on reciprocal healthcare will continue until December 2020. The rights of UK nationals living in the EU, and who fall within the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement, will continue to be protected after December 2020, for as long as these individuals remain in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement. This includes state pensioners already benefiting from that cover.
In the event that the UK exits the EU without a deal, EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to stay and continue to access in country benefits and services, including healthcare, on broadly the same terms as now. This demonstrates the UK Government’s ongoing commitment to citizens and removes any ambiguity over their future. We are engaging with EU counterparts to urge them to make the same commitment to protect the rights of UK nationals in the EU.
The reciprocal healthcare system requires reciprocity from the EU or individual Member States and cannot be protected unilaterally. The UK Government is seeking agreements with Member States, so that no individual, including retired UK citizen living in other EU Member States, will face sudden changes to their healthcare cover.
The Government has published updated advice for UK persons resident in countries in the European Economic Area as well as for those wishing to travel to such countries with specific information on potential changes to access to reciprocal healthcare and precautions they may wish to take in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario.
General information is available on the GOV.UK website and country-specific advice can be found under the relevant sections of NHS.UK as well. This includes guidance for retired UK citizens living in other EU Member States and suggestions on alternative arrangements they may wish to make, should existing arrangements such as the European Health Insurance Card scheme cease, which appears as a section under the profile of each individual country.
The information provided on these pages will be updated in light of new developments and changing circumstances.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times European Health Insurance Cards were used by UK citizens abroad in the past year.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
There were 118,684 accepted claims when a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) was used, in the last 12 months.
There are 3,108,739 United Kingdom-issued EHICs in circulation for people aged over 70. This is based on cards which have not expired and the applicant’s age on the date the card was issued, and not their current age. EHICs are valid for five years after their issue date.
Information is not available on the number of times EHICs were used by UK citizens abroad to support the treatment of pre-existing conditions in the last year.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times European Health Insurance Cards were used by people over the age of 70 in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The following table shows the number of European Health Insurance Card claims from people aged over 70 by year for the last five years:
2014 | 29,632 |
2015 | 35,518 |
2016 | 43,121 |
2017 | 38,271 |
2018 | 23,172 |
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many European Health Insurance Cards have been issued to people over the age of 70.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
There were 118,684 accepted claims when a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) was used, in the last 12 months.
There are 3,108,739 United Kingdom-issued EHICs in circulation for people aged over 70. This is based on cards which have not expired and the applicant’s age on the date the card was issued, and not their current age. EHICs are valid for five years after their issue date.
Information is not available on the number of times EHICs were used by UK citizens abroad to support the treatment of pre-existing conditions in the last year.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times European Health Insurance Cards were used by UK citizens abroad to support the treatment of pre-existing conditions in the last year.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
There were 118,684 accepted claims when a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) was used, in the last 12 months.
There are 3,108,739 United Kingdom-issued EHICs in circulation for people aged over 70. This is based on cards which have not expired and the applicant’s age on the date the card was issued, and not their current age. EHICs are valid for five years after their issue date.
Information is not available on the number of times EHICs were used by UK citizens abroad to support the treatment of pre-existing conditions in the last year.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
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 that reciprocal agreements with EU Member States and Members of the EEA for the provision of health care to UK citizens travelling temporarily to those countries will be in place after the UK leaves the EU; and what the timetable is for those arrangements.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The United Kingdom Government is seeking agreements with Member States, so that no individual will face sudden changes to their healthcare cover.
People requiring treatment for their pre-existing conditions when travelling should always seek advice from their doctor and specialist unit before booking travel. They should also contact the chosen specialist administrator at the destination of travel to ensure their treatment is covered after 29 March 2019 in a ‘no deal’ scenario. Any charges to the patient should be discussed and agreed before booking travel.
The Department has been in discussion with a number of stakeholders on reciprocal healthcare after the UK leaves the EU.
Any new travel advice will be updated on GOV.UK and the NHS website as the circumstances change, including for travellers who have pre-existing conditions.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the continuation of healthcare packages for all patients currently qualifying for such packages in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
As we prepare to leave the European Union, the Government is planning for all scenarios, including the event that the United Kingdom leaves the EU without a deal.
Our priority is to minimise disruption to the health and social care system, including ensuring continuity of access to health and care services for patients after the UK leaves the EU. This includes continued engagement with health and social care employers across the sectors to provide a seamless supply of medicines and medical products from the moment we leave the EU
The UK Government appreciates the importance of retaining reciprocal healthcare arrangements with the EU and is seeking agreements with Member States, so that no individual will face sudden changes to their healthcare cover when we leave the EU
Asked by: Paul Farrelly (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that British citizens can access medical treatment in EU countries (a) for free or (b) at a reduced cost after 29 March 2019.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The United Kingdom Government appreciates the importance of retaining reciprocal healthcare arrangements with the European Union and has been clear in the negotiations that it wants to protect the rights of UK citizens in the EU.
Subject to the Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by Parliament, during the implementation period the current rules on reciprocal healthcare will continue until December 2020. The rights of UK nationals living in the EU, and who fall within the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement, will continue to be protected after December 2020, for as long as these individuals remain in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.
In the event that the UK exits the EU without a deal, EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to stay and continue to access in country benefits and services, including healthcare, on broadly the same terms as now. This demonstrates the UK Government’s ongoing commitment to citizens and removes any ambiguity over their future. We are engaging with EU counterparts to urge them to make the same commitment to protect the rights of UK nationals in the EU. The UK Government is seeking agreements with Member States, so that no individual will face sudden changes to their healthcare cover.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which EU countries the Government has secured bilateral health agreements with in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
We want to secure reciprocal arrangements bilaterally with Member States in a ‘no deal’ scenario, so that no-one faces sudden changes to how they obtain healthcare.
The United Kingdom and Irish Governments have both set out their firm intention to maintain the Common Travel Area and to protect the associated reciprocal rights enjoyed by UK and Irish nationals when in each other’s state, including access to healthcare services, whatever the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. Bilateral work with Ireland in this area is at an advanced stage.
The UK has approached and is in ongoing discussions with other Member States about protecting access to healthcare bilaterally, through reciprocal arrangements.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the future immigration system will allow temporary short-term workers on a 12-month visa from EU member states to access (a) primary care and to register with a GP, (b) NHS secondary care services; and whether those workers will be obliged to pay the health surcharge; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Migrants coming to the UK for more than six months (other than, currently, EEA migrants) are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge which gives them access to the full range of NHS services, with the exception of assisted conception services. We are considering whether these arrangements should apply to those coming under the proposed transitional temporary work route and will want to engage with businesses and employers on this point.
The Department of Health and Social Care is currently undertaking negotiations on the future of reciprocal healthcare agreements with EU member states following the UK’s exit from the EU.