The NI Planned Healthcare Scheme

This is a scheme to avail of faster treatment or surgery across the border in Northern Ireland or in any other EU state.

Patients are granted reimbursement of their treatment costs through the HSE.

The Process

1. The patient contacts the appropriate hospital

2. Patient will be assigned to a specific consultant, and provided with a date, time and location for their appointment. This will also be confirmed in a letter by email/post

3. Patient visits their own GP to have their referral letter and obtains a copy of any recent (6 months) x-rays/scans.

4. Patient attends their appointment at the appropriate hospital, for paperwork to be arranged for submission to the HSE.

5. The patient then contact the appropriate hospital to arrange a surgery date along with payment options

6. Patient attends for surgery and is discharged with pro forma invoice to be posted to the HSE for reimbursement, post-op discharge plan, and any relevant information required should patient experience post-op complications.

If you are entitled to public health services in Ireland and you choose to access those services in Northern Ireland you can be reimbursed by the HSE for the costs incurred.

What Healthcare Treatments Are Covered?

Treatments covered include current services provided by the HSE that you would access in a hospital or county clinic environment. Examples include:

· Orthopaedic treatments, including surgery for hip, back and knee conditions

· Ophthalmic treatments (eye conditions) including Cataract Surgery

· Hand and wrist surgery, including Carpal Tunnel Surgery

· Varicose vein surgery

· Day, in-patient and outpatient care, including MRI and CT scans

· Physiotherapy services

· Cardiac services

While you must pay for any healthcare that you get, under the NI Planned Healthcare Scheme you can then apply to the HSE for reimbursement towards the cost of the healthcare. You can not claim reimbursement for: the cost of any medicine you'll need afterwards nor can you claim for any travel costs.

Some health services are not included, for example, organ transplantation and long-term care such as