Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Health the amount that has been spent by the HSE to pay for procedures under the cross-border healthcare directive and the treatment abroad schemes in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8881/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross Border Healthcare provides rules for the reimbursement of patients' of the cost of receiving treatment abroad, where the patient would be entitled to such treatment in their home Member State (Member State of Affiliation) and supplements the rights that patients already have at EU level through the legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (Regulation 883/04).  The Directive seeks to ensure a clear and transparent framework for the provision of cross-border healthcare within the EU, for those occasions where the care patients seek is provided in another Member State rather than in their home country. S.I. 203 of 2014 provides the legal basis for the Health Service Executive to operate the EU Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland, including the reimbursement of the cost of treatment.

The HSE also operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme, for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland under EU Regulation 883/04, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulation 987/09, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines.

As the HSE has responsibility for the administration of the Cross Border Directive and Treatment Abroad Scheme, I have asked the HSE to examine the issues raised and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.