MPs push for advance payments for overseas medical treatment
A House health committee heard that families sent abroad for treatment face reimbursement delays, with MPs calling for upfront payment of travel and accommodation costs.
MPs on Thursday called on the state to pay upfront for travel and accommodation costs incurred by families whose members receive medical treatment abroad, as reported by Cyprus Mail. The issue was discussed at the House health committee.
Patients are referred overseas when the required treatment is not available at Cyprus state hospitals. Under current practice, the family or escort of a patient sent abroad must file a reimbursement claim after treatment is completed. Because of delays in actual reimbursement, MPs propose that the amount — or a significant portion of it — be paid in advance, as many families cannot afford to pay out of pocket while staying overseas.
Lawmakers also examined other aspects of overseas patient referrals, including the Health Insurance Organisation's (HIO) refusal in some cases to approve ongoing or repeat treatment. Since taking charge of overseas referrals from the health ministry in October 2025, the HIO has implemented different protocols, meaning patients who previously received approval from the ministry now have to resubmit applications for ongoing or repeat treatment abroad. MPs said this has led to delays and, in some cases, denials.
The HIO said it is aware of the issue and is doing its utmost to prevent inconvenience. MPs also heard that since October last year the HIO has denied 28 per cent of applications for overseas referrals. Monica Kyriacou, a senior HIO official, said 657 patients travelled abroad or are still receiving treatment overseas during this period. The organisation received 1,234 applications and approved 889.
Cases are categorised by severity: life-threatening, urgent, and normal. For life-threatening cases, protocols require an immediate decision with the patient sent abroad within 48 hours. Urgent cases must be dispatched within seven days, and non-urgent cases within 30 days. Kyriacou said the average time from approval to actual dispatch is one day for life-threatening cases, four days for urgent cases, and 22 days for non-urgent cases.
Disy MP Savia Orfanidou also raised the issue of the state having its own airborne means of transport for such airlifts, noting: "This is a matter of life and death." The discussion in parliament will continue at a later date, with relevant government departments providing written answers to questions posed by MPs.
What it means for residents
If you or a family member are referred abroad for treatment, the financial burden can be immediate while reimbursement is slow. The proposed changes could ease that pressure, but until they are approved, families must still cover costs upfront.
- Keep all receipts and documents. Reimbursement still requires a claim after treatment, so maintain a full paper trail.
- Check your application status. If you need ongoing or repeat treatment abroad, confirm whether your previous approval is still valid or if you must reapply under HIO protocols.
- Plan for delays. Non-urgent cases may take up to 30 days to dispatch, so factor this into any travel or accommodation arrangements.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
