THE HEALTH Ministry yesterday urged all EU nationals from other member states to make sure their residency and work status in Cyprus is properly established to avoid mix ups over medical treatment down the line.
“It’s a pity people wait until the last minute,” said Health Ministry official Andreas Kyriakides, referring to the case of a cancer-stricken British expat, who appeared to have fallen through the cracks as far as his treatment was concerned.
This has led to a bill of €10,000 from the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre, and difficulty in raising funds to continue treatment because his rights as an EU citizen could not clearly be established.
Richard, 55, who lives in Limassol has been in Cyprus for around eight years and was, until diagnosed suddenly in July, locally employed. However, because his residency or work status is not clear, and he had no private insurance, he was unable to secure an EU medical card, or Cypriot medical that would entitle him to free cancer care.
The Oncology Centre requires a card from the Health Ministry to ensure treatment is given free of charge. Richard was not eligible for an EU card under British regulations and friends who tried to help him obtain a card through the health services in Cyprus kept being turned away.
Many civil servants at lower levels in most ministries do not yet seem to be well informed on everything pertaining to EU regulations that now apply in Cyprus, and often misinform people about their rights.
Health Minister Christos Patsalides promised at the weekend to look into the case, and yesterday the Cyprus Mail was put in touch with Kyriakides at the Ministry who clarified the situation.
Kyriakides said that aside from tourists and others who hold EU medical cards known as EHIC, European nationals who work in Cyprus and who contribute to social security, “are treated like Cypriots”. Cypriots are means tested for medical cards but cancer treatment is free, irrespective of income.
Kyriakides said non-active EU nationals other than pensioners, who have never contributed to the system in any EU country and are not covered by EU regulations, need to pay for their treatment.
Technically, if Richard has not contributed to the system either in the UK or in Cyprus, he is therefore not covered under any EU regulations. Richard himself is unable to state the conditions of his employment on the island or whether he paid in to the system.
If he was locally employed, his employers by law should have paid social insurance on his behalf.
Kyriakides said in cases where a person has not contributed, other regulations kick in. “Namely the free movement of citizens,” he said.
This involved EU nationals registering themselves in Cyprus within four months of arriving on the island. If such people are resident on the island for more than five years, they are eligible to apply for long-term stay.
“When they receive this status, they are entitled to be treated as Cypriots even if they are not insured,” said Kyriakides.
All of this depends on the status they receive from the Immigration Department. Kyriakides suggested Richard needed to sort out his status with immigration first and establish himself as a long-term resident since he has been on the island for around eight years.
Kyriakides said the Health Ministry had a deal with Immigration to give priority to medical cases. “He needs first to fix his status in Cyprus,” said the Health Ministry official. He said Richard and his family were welcome to contact him to see how they could help.
