Glossary
Competent Member State
Member State under whose social security system the patient concerned is insured at the time of the cross-border treatment, or on behalf of whose social security system the patient concerned is insured at the time of cross-border treatment
Co-payment
A set out-of-pocket amount which will not be covered by the national health service / statutory health insurance, but which the insured person will have to pay him or herself (i.e. the patient’s share of the medical costs)
Cross-border healthcare
Cross-border healthcare refers to medical treatment outside the patient’s country of residence, where s/he is entitled to public healthcare (whether or not under the social security legislation of another Member State). The treatment is considered to be cross-border when received in any another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland, without the prerequisite of sharing a geographical border with the country of residence.
Directive 95/46/EU
Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data.
Directive 2011/24/EU
Directive 2011/24/EU of the European parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.
Directive 2012/52/EU
Commission Implementing Directive 2012/52/EU of 20 December 2012 laying down measures to facilitate the recognition of medical prescriptions issued in another Member State.
ePrescription
Prescription that is electronically generated, transmitted and filled.
European Economic Area (EEA)
The European Economic Area (EEA) includes, besides the 28 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Free card, issued by the national health service authority/ health insurer, that gives the patient access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, under the same conditions and costs (free of charge in some countries) as people covered/insured under the national health services or national health insurance scheme of that country.
European Reference Networks
European Reference Networks (ERNs) are virtual networks involving healthcare providers across Europe, aiming to facilitate discussion on complex or rare diseases and conditions that require highly specialised treatment, and concentrated knowledge and resources (www.europa.eu/youreurope).
European Union (EU)
The EU includes following 28 Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus*, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom !*EU-law is not applicable in Northern Cyprus (the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus).
Healthcare provider
Any natural or legal person or any other entity legally providing healthcare on the territory of a Member State.
Home country
The country where the patient resides and is entitled to sickness benefits, regardless of whether or not he or she is insured under the social security system of that country.
Medically necessary treatment
Treatment that can’t be postponed and that must be provided in order to prevent the patient from being forced to return home before the end of the planned duration of the stay abroad.
National Contact Point (NCP)
Under Directive 2011/24/EU all EU/EEA Member States, are obliged to install one or more National Contact Points which re assigned to provide patients with information on all aspects of cross-border healthcare.
National health service
National health service-type of healthcare systems are government-controlled healthcare systems that are responsible for the provision of publicly funded health services to all citizens in their country.
Personal data
Personal data refers to any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, that is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identification number or to one or more factors specific to his physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural or social identity (art. 2 (a) Directive 95/46/EU).
Planned medical treatment/ Planned care
Treatment provided during a temporary stay abroad of which the explicit purpose was to receive treatment there.