{"title":"Implications of the EU patients' rights directive in cross-border healthcare on the German sickness fund system.","authors":"Mathias Kifmann, Caroline Wagner","doi":"10.1007/978-88-470-5480-6_3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We examine the implications of the EU directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare on the German sickness fund system. Since Germany implemented most requirements of the directive already in 2004, we first review Germany's experience with EU cross-border healthcare. We then focus on the possible effects of increased EU cross-border healthcare. While this gives patients more choice, the German sickness fund system faces a number of challenges. EU cross-border care may undermine efforts to keep healthcare expenditure under control. Cross-border care can also increase inequality of access. Furthermore, promoting cross-border care can be a means for sickness funds to attract good risks. We discuss these challenges and point out possible policy responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":79866,"journal":{"name":"Developments in health economics and public policy","volume":"12 ","pages":"49-66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"11","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Developments in health economics and public policy","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5480-6_3","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 11
Abstract
We examine the implications of the EU directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare on the German sickness fund system. Since Germany implemented most requirements of the directive already in 2004, we first review Germany's experience with EU cross-border healthcare. We then focus on the possible effects of increased EU cross-border healthcare. While this gives patients more choice, the German sickness fund system faces a number of challenges. EU cross-border care may undermine efforts to keep healthcare expenditure under control. Cross-border care can also increase inequality of access. Furthermore, promoting cross-border care can be a means for sickness funds to attract good risks. We discuss these challenges and point out possible policy responses.