The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union (EU) have incorporated 26 EU legal acts into the European Economic Area Agreement, including measures relating to cross-border healthcare
The EFTA member states, which are part of the EEA but outside the EU, are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is particularly important as in this tiny country most people have to go to nearby EU countries for medical care.
The EU Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare provides clarity about the rights of patients who seek healthcare in another EEA country. The new rules clarify that the citizens of one EEA Member State can be reimbursed for healthcare received in another member state, as long as the type of treatment and costs would have been covered in their own country.
Many but not all EU countries have fully implemented the rules.
Authorities may require patients to seek prior authorization for treatment requiring an overnight hospital stay or highly specialized and cost-intensive healthcare, although refusals will need to be justified according to a restricted list of possible reasons.