Rules for Reimbursement

If you receive medical treatment in another EU or EEA country, you may be entitled to partial or full reimbursement of your costs. However, how much you’re reimbursed — and when — depends on whether you obtained prior authorisation from your health system or not.

If You Receive Treatment With Prior Authorisation

When you get authorisation in advance from your national health authority:

• You may not need to pay anything upfront: In many cases, especially for public hospitals, the costs are settled directly between your home country and the country where you receive care.
• If you do pay upfront, you can be reimbursed according to the rates and payment rules of the country where you were treated.
• In some situations, your home country may also reimburse costs related to travel or accommodation, if these would also have been covered had you received the same care at home.
• If the country where you get treated requires a small patient contribution (like a co-payment), you might still need to cover that yourself — though some countries may reimburse part of it.

Tip: Keep all invoices, receipts, and proof of medical necessity. These will be needed when claiming reimbursement.

If You Receive Treatment Without Prior Authorisation

If you travel for treatment on your own — without asking for authorisation first — the rules are different:

• You must pay for everything upfront, including the full cost of consultations, procedures, and hospital stays.
• You can request reimbursement after you return home.
• Reimbursement will be based on what the same or equivalent treatment would have cost in your home country’s public healthcare system — even if the treatment abroad was more expensive.
• Private providers abroad are also eligible for reimbursement, as long as the treatment itself is normally covered at home.

If your treatment abroad costs more than it would at home, you will have to pay the difference yourself.

What’s Not Covered?

In both cases — with or without prior authorisation — some costs are usually not reimbursed:

• Travel expenses (unless specifically allowed under your country’s rules)
• Meals and accommodation for companions
• Treatments not covered by your public healthcare system
• Services provided in countries outside the EU/EEA (e.g., Switzerland may be an exception only in some cases)

How to Claim Reimbursement

After your treatment, you’ll need to:

1. Collect all original invoices and medical reports.
2. Submit a reimbursement request to your national health service or health insurance provider.
3. Follow the procedures and time limits set by your home country.

If you’re unsure how to do this, your National Contact Point can guide you through the steps.

Reimbursement Rules at a Glance

Last updated on 28 May 2025