PLANS TO give Irish patients the right to seek health treatment in other EU countries and to be reimbursed for the costs were approved by the European Parliament yesterday.
Under the directive Irish patients would be allowed to get refunds for a wide range of treatments already covered in the Irish health service.
If introduced, this could be a way for patients to bypass long waiting lists.
However, in order to get refunds for hospital services, patients could have to apply for approval from the HSE beforehand. Patients would pay for the service first and be reimbursed later. They would receive up to the amount that the treatment would cost in Ireland.
However, under special provisions, people with rare diseases would be entitled to treatment without prior authorisation even if it is not provided in Ireland.
