The impact of EU patient mobility rules on health systems in Germany and Norway

Abstract

The title of this master thesis is The impact of EU patient mobility rules on health systems in Germany and Norway . It examines the output of European Union (EU) patient mobility rules and preliminary effect of the new Patients Rights Directive in two different healthcare models: the Bismarckian model (Social Health Insurance) and the Beveridgean model (National Health Services) in Germany and Norway, respectively. The analysis uses the method of qualitative case study. It is based on a theoretical understanding of European integration, and data and documents from national and EU legislative documents, European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings and six expert interviews. We found that the impact of EU rules on patient mobility has both convergent and divergent effect. The objective of the Patients Rights Directive was to harmonize EU rules on patient mobility and it has succeeded to a certain extent. It is because the basic rules for patients receiving health treatments abroad were adopted differently in both countries but show nearly identical outcome. Nevertheless, it still has divergent effect due to flexibility to filter and adjust these rules in line with the countries individual health systems.

The title of this master thesis is The impact of EU patient mobility rules on health systems in Germany and Norway . It examines the output of European Union (EU) patient mobility rules and preliminary effect of the new Patients Rights Directive in two different healthcare models: the Bismarckian model (Social Health Insurance) and the Beveridgean model (National Health Services) in Germany and Norway, respectively. The analysis uses the method of qualitative case study. It is based on a theoretical understanding of European integration, and data and documents from national and EU legislative documents, European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings and six expert interviews. We found that the impact of EU rules on patient mobility has both convergent and divergent effect. The objective of the Patients Rights Directive was to harmonize EU rules on patient mobility and it has succeeded to a certain extent. It is because the basic rules for patients receiving health treatments abroad were adopted differently in both countries but show nearly identical outcome. Nevertheless, it still has divergent effect due to flexibility to filter and adjust these rules in line with the countries individual health systems.