Foreign Medical Treatment in the Light of European Union and Hungarian Rules

Abstract

The free movement of persons is one of the fundamental principles of the functioning single market, which allows EU citizens to settle, work and study in another EU country.  Given that establishing and operating social and social  security systems are within the exclusive competence of the Member States, the European Union is responsible for  ensuring coordination between the different social security  systems of the Member States in order to guarantee the  rights of EU citizens and thus the smooth functioning of the  free movement of persons. This regulation also  provides for the topic of this study: EU citizens having the  right to receive health care services in another Member  State at the expense of the social security system of the  country where they pay contributions. The study presents  EU regulations on the coordination of social security  schemes, with special regard to the use of health care in a  foreign country, and describes the Hungarian legislation  and practice being developed in line with EU regulations.