Planned treatment abroad

There are some major differences between the two application routes. In conjunction with your local health commissioner you should decide which route is most suitable:

Payment conditions

• S2 or E112: the UK covers the cost of treatment. However, the patient may need to pay a contribution towards healthcare costs which they may be able to seek reimbursement for when they are back in the UK if they are not able to do so in the other country.
• Article 56: treated as if you’re a member of your home member state, therefore you will have to pay treatment costs up front and seek reimbursement from your local NHS health commissioner.

Treating sector

• S2 or E112: since this is based on agreements between governments it is only valid for state sector treatment.
• Article 56: can be state or private sector treatment as the NHS will be directly reimbursing you the fees you have paid.

What happens next

• S2 or E112: the appropriate paperwork from your local commissioner should be sent to the Overseas Healthcare Team in Newcastle and they will consider issue of the E112 form and will post it to you.You will need to present the form to the hospital authorities abroad on admission. For more information and advice phone 0191 218 1999.

Limit to amount that will be paid

• S2 or E112: no limit to how much will be paid to the treating institution, even if the cost is more than the treatment would have cost at home. The amount paid will match the treating country’s contribution, and may extend to reimbursing you a portion of your contribution.
• Article 56: amount reimbursed to patient is limited to what it would have cost to treat them under their local health care system. If the cost of foreign treatment is less than what treatment would cost under the NHS, the patient will not get the excess. 

Reimbursements

• S2 or E112: patient only pays any co-payments (this is where, in some countries, a patient is required to pay a certain percentage of state-provided treatment).The patient may then be able to seek reimbursement for this cost when they are back in the UK if they are not able to do so in the other country.
• Article 56: patient pays total costs upfront and is reimbursed up to what the treatment would have cost at home. If the cost of foreign treatment is less than what treatment would cost under the NHS the patient will not get the excess.