Harmonisation in Healthcare: The EU Patients’ Rights Directive
26 Pages Posted: 7 Jun 2011
Date Written: June 7, 2011
Abstract
In the EU harmonisation of healthcare has long been elusive. Article 168 paragraph 7 TFEU even forms a sector-specific subsidiarity clause. Meanwhile the ECJ handed down a series of judgments concerning patients’ rights to reimbursement for healthcare consumed in other Member States. An initial attempt to codify this case law in the Services Directive failed in 2004. In March 2011 however, following a two-and-a-half year legislative process the EU patient’s rights Directive was adopted. It codifies the old patients’ rights, creates new rights to accountability and transparency, and promotes cooperation among national healthcare systems. As such it can be seen as a watershed in EU involvement in the healthcare sector.
Keywords: healthcare, EU, harmonisation, reimbursement, legislation, codification, patients' rights
JEL Classification: I18, K23, K32
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation