Health Services: British Nationals Abroad

Question

Subject to the Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by Parliament, during the implementation period the current rules on reciprocal healthcare will continue until December 2020. This will include access to healthcare through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme.

In a ‘no deal’ scenario, the United Kingdom will seek an ongoing arrangement akin to the EHIC scheme as part of negotiations on our future arrangements with the European Union.

The Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill is intended to support the implementation of comprehensive reciprocal healthcare arrangements. In a ‘no deal’, scenario the Bill can be used to protect the health aspects of citizens’ rights, to make payments in support of healthcare access abroad, and to allow data processing to facilitate this.

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 those travelling in 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’.

General information is available online via GOV.UK and country-specific advice can be found under the relevant sections of NHS.UK. This includes guidance for UK citizens living in European countries and suggestions on alternative arrangements they may wish to make, should existing arrangements such as the EHIC scheme cease, which appears as a section under the profile of each individual country.