EU launches health websites for travellers

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By Tazz (Contact - View My Woyano)

Published Tue 13 Feb 2007, 251 Views, 2 Comments

Brussels - The European Union on has launched a new website providing information to EU citizens on health care abroad, intended for holidaymakers, or those living or seeking special treatment in other EU countries. Health concerns "We are always getting questions about 'how does it work for health care when I live abroad?'," said Katharina Von Schnurbein, spokeswoman for EU Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla. The new website seeks to inform EU citizens about the conditions for meeting the financial costs of health care abroad through their national social security or health systems. "The information provided is designed to be as concrete and complete as possible. It includes examples of reimbursement levels for health care costs abroad in different situations, with the aim of giving people a broad idea of their rights," the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said in a statement. Increasing number of people receive health care in another European country to the one where they live or are insured, either unplanned care during a holiday or work visit, or a trip made specifically to receive medical treatment. In June 2004 the EU introduced a common health card for its citizens, which could be presented throughout the bloc for visits of up to three months at a time. This replaced the previous system where travellers needed to get hold of special papers every time they set off abroad. The website gives information for holiday-makers as well as those planning medical intervention abroad when it is not easily available at home. "We know that the health card itself has had quite a good start and there have been 100 million cards issued," Von Schnurbein told AFP. The website also includes instances of European case law for particularly tricky scenarios. The site has been launched in French, German and English but the commission plans to translate it into all the official EU languages eventually. - AFP

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EU launches health websites for travellers

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