The new healthcare package would not only allow people greater freedom in choosing their place of treatment but also ease the load on the limited clinics in some countries that have a long waiting list of patients for various surgeries.
Under the new regulations, citizens would be able to seek non-urgent anywhere but would have to pay up front and would then get the money reimbursed in the same was if the treatment was carried out at home. The non-urgent treatments include hip replacement or teeth whitening.
Current laws allow EU citizens to get reimbursed for urgent treatment anywhere in the bloc on condition if it comes under a health insurance scheme at home. But they would require the permission of their insurer if they wanted to undergo non-urgent medical care.
But the new rules, due to be announced on Wednesday, means patients would not have to get their doctor's approval for non-hospital care abroad. The proposals would need an approval from the EU government and the European Parliament before they are carried out.
