THE EU FRAMEWORK FOR THE RIGHT TO HEALTHCARE: FROM COORDINATION REGULATIONS TO CROSS-BORDER HEALTH CARE

European citizens can make use of healthcare in EU may be governed by different regulations. These different regulations can lead to different paths for EU citizens to use crossborder healthcare. European cross-border healthcare is based on the regulations of social security coordination which do not replace the member states' national systems with a single European one. All countries are free to decide who is to be insured, which benefits are granted and under what conditions those benefits can be received. Another path to cross -border healthcare is the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) case law. CJEU case law has played an important role in expanding coverage and benefits in cross-border healthcare. Yet another path to cross-border healthcare is Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March, 2011 on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. This Directive has been incorporated in our Spanish legal system by Royal Decree 81/2014 of 7th February, establishing rules to ensure cross-border healthcare.