Brexit

Doubt over the future of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) exists as we reach ever and every closer to voting day.

In the event that the UK does leave the EU, one likely possibility is that a new market segment will open for health insurers, who will be looking to capitalise on the millions of UK expats, European expats in the UK, and travelers who will now need to find an alternative solution.

Other potential impacts on healthcare can be found here.

International health news

Anyone considering becoming pregnant in a country affected by the Zika virus should gather all “evidence-based information” prior to making their decision, warns the WHO. They have stated however that they are not actively discouraging people from doing so.

Only days after a report suggested that teens who use e-cigarettes are six more times likely to move onto ‘combustible tobacco’, a new report from UK Centre for Substance Use Research has found that vaping may actually reduce the number of teens turning to conventional smoking. Clearly more research is needed on the matter.

Insurance updates

Preliminary health insurance hikes for 2017 have been announced in Oregon, USA, with the increases for single insurers expected to be between 9.8% and 32%.

Despite the announcement, it has been suggested that the increases will be higher when they actually come into effect.

Atlanta and Chicago, however, are in line to receive health plans that carry no copayments for primary care. The two cities are the test site for the new plans, which are expected to be rolled out to further areas of the States if successful.