Cyprus patients sent abroad still await advance payments as ministry warns of doubled workload
Health Ministry officials told parliament that paying advances before patients travel abroad for treatment would double their workload, while patient groups said families are left to rely on fundraisers and donations.
Patients who travel abroad for specialised care are still waiting for the state to pay part of their costs in advance, after Health Ministry officials told parliament's Labour Committee on Tuesday that introducing the payments would double their workload. According to Cyprus Mail, the ministry also argued that the sums are hard to calculate and that overpayment is a risk.
Patient groups told the committee that families are left to turn to fundraisers and donations, and representatives said they had heard the same promises at the same committee exactly a year ago. MPs asked whether administrative problems really justified withholding advances, noting that during the pandemic the state had mechanisms to recover money from people who were overpaid.
What it means for residents
Anyone whose treatment is only available overseas faces upfront costs that can run into thousands before any state money arrives. The ministry has promised to scrap income criteria and pay companions regardless of whether they stay in hospital accommodation, but no timetable has been set.
- Keep every receipt for flights, lodging and food — claims without paperwork are the first to stall.
- Ask OSAK and the relevant patient association for help with applications rather than waiting alone.
- Watch for the November deadline, when the committee expects written answers from the Labour Ministry on carers' pensions and parental leave.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
