"Bobcat - each individual country provides health care for their citizens but also cover them if they happen to travel to another EU country and need health care there. I have my EU traveler card which ensures that I don't need travel insurance when traveling within the EU. If I would move to another EU country and register there, I would then be eligible for that country's health care system. So the system is fairly universal, although with local flavour." - Sig Gislason