title: The impact of European Union law on individuals as patients.
abstract: This article considers how the EU affects individuals as patients. This can arise in several separate situations - where the person concerned is living in a host state, where treatment becomes necessary during a temporary visit or where a patient wishes to travel to another country for planned treatment. The situation is complicated by the fact that each member state has its own system of health-care and social security, which operate on very different principles and which have not been harmonized, as this is not within the remit of the EU. For example, in many systems the health-care provider will charge the patient a fee covering the whole or part of the cost of treatment and medication, which is then recovered from the patient's health insurance provider. A 'monolithic' national health service offering a comprehensive service 'free at the point of delivery', as in the UK, is the exception rather than the rule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Academic Legal Studies, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hodgson
mesh_terms: D004630:Emergencies; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012943:Social Security / Q000458:organization & administration; D013222:State Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014195:Travel / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom