The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) is preparing necessary legal amendments to integrate cross-border healthcare within the European Union into the General Healthcare System (GHS), with implementation scheduled for October.
Under the planned changes, GHS beneficiaries will be able to receive services in other EU member states and receive compensation from the HIO based on reimbursement rates applicable in Cyprus.
The organisation is also advancing legislative amendments for sending GHS beneficiaries abroad for specialised procedures or examinations. Training of HIO staff has already begun, conducted daily by officials from the Health Ministry’s subsidised patients sector.
Legislative timeline critical
The HIO considers the passage of legislative amendments before parliament’s summer recess in mid-July crucial, as any delay could jeopardise the 1st October implementation date. The organisation plans to request the Health Ministry submit the amendments to parliament as urgent legislation once preparations are complete.
“The HIO is preparing to take over the programme for sending patients abroad in October, and various procedures are underway for this purpose,” senior HIO official Monica Kyriacou told Phileleftheros.
Five HIO staff members have begun daily training with Health Ministry officials from the subsidised patients sector to enable the organisation to handle patient referrals when the time comes, she said.
Two-pronged approach
The legislative changes address two separate programmes. For cross-border healthcare within the EU, the HIO will handle cases where beneficiaries choose to receive treatment at centres operating in other EU member states. Patients will be able to visit medical centres in other European countries, with the HIO covering costs based on what it would reimburse for the same procedure in Cyprus.
Emergency medical care for Cypriots abroad will continue to be covered by the Health Ministry, Kyriacou clarified.
For the overseas patient referral programme, current legislation lacks specific procedures or prohibits certain processes, making amendments essential for the HIO to carry out its work effectively.
Staff deployment awaited
The HIO is still awaiting confirmation of how many Health Ministry officials will be seconded to the organisation to assist with initial implementation stages. The organisation believes such secondments should last at least six months.
The summer period is expected to be particularly critical for the HIO as it simultaneously advances the overseas patient programme, cross-border healthcare procedures, and efforts to stabilise and accelerate the pharmaceuticals sector, which since 1st January has been evaluating dozens of weekly applications from doctors for patients requiring specialised drugs and treatments.
