Cross Border Directive

EU Cross Border Healthcare

What Is The Cross Border Healthcare Directive?

The Cross Border Directive (CBD) allows EU residents to access health services in EU member states other than their own.

How Does The Cross Border Healthcare Directive Work?
The Cross-Border Healthcare Directive, operated by the HSE, entitles Irish patients waiting for surgery procedures in the Republic of Ireland to obtain treatment, in either a public or private setting, within Northern Ireland.

If you are entitled to public health services in Ireland and you choose to access those services in Northern Ireland you can be reimbursed by the HSE for the costs incurred. The amount that will be repaid is the amount that the treatment would cost in Ireland, or the cost of your treatment abroad, if that is less.

You must be referred to those services by your GP, treating physician or hospital consultant. Or, in the case of certain community based services by a HSE professional, such as a Public Health Nurse. A referral from a GP or consultant abroad is also acceptable.

If, therefore, you are entitled to attend your local community care service or local hospital you can opt to access the services you need and be treated at the Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Northern Ireland as if it was another community care or another hospital within Ireland.

What Healthcare Treatments Are Covered Under The Scheme?
Your referring clinician will be able to advise if the service you are seeking to access abroad is covered by the provisions of the Cross Border Healthcare scheme.

Treatments covered include current services provided by the HSE that you would access in a hospital or county clinic environment.

Examples of healthcare that is available under the scheme include:

Day, in-patient and outpatient care in acute hospital services, including MRI and CT scans
Cardiac services
Orthopaedic services, including hip and knee surgery
Ophthalmic services (Eye Tests)
Physiotherapy services
Some health services are not included, for example, organ transplantation and long-term care such as nursing home care.

How Do I Apply For Cross Border Treatment?
It’s easy to apply for treatment under the Cross Border Healthcare Directive.

To use health services in another country and be refunded under the EU Healthcare Directive you must:

Be referred to the health service abroad
Get prior authorisation if it is required for your treatment
Apply for a refund of your costs
For further details, phone [phone] to speak to our One2One Patient Advisor, at Belfast’s Kingsbridge Private Hospital, part of 3fivetwo Group, Northern Ireland’s largest provider of private healthcare.

Our healthcare team will guide you through the simple steps involved to start the process to get you treated quickly and conveniently at our Belfast hospital.

Outpatient and Day Care Applicants

There is no application process for outpatient or day case care. Once you have a referral from a GP or treating consultant in Ireland you may proceed with your outpatient appointment. A referral from a GP or a consultant abroad is also acceptable.

Following the appointment you then submit the necessary receipts to the HSE for reimbursement. Information regarding reimbursement rates prior to your appointment are available by contacting the CBD office.

Inpatient Applicants

If the treatment involves an overnight stay in hospital then it will need to be authorised in advance by the HSE.

Prior authorisation can be obtained following the submission of completed application form, accompanied by the appropriate clinician referring letter, in sufficient time to allow the HSE to assess and make a decision.

The application form for prior authorisation should be completed by you, the patient, and by the medical professional who is referring you for treatment abroad.

How Long Does The Decision Process Take?
A decision typically takes between 15 and 20 working days following the receipt of a completed application form.

[brianallen]

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