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NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Old Feb 8th 2005, 6:19 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by sibsie
NI contributions have nothing to do with the NHS. The NHS is soley funded by the tax payer.
so what is NI then? it's not just pension as that accounts for 6 quid a week contribution.

what else is wrapped up in NI?
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Old Feb 8th 2005, 6:20 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by Manc
so what is NI then? it's not just pension as that accounts for 6 quid a week contribution.

what else is wrapped up in NI?
It's the dole and other benefits.
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Old Feb 8th 2005, 6:24 pm
  #33  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by sibsie
It's the dole and other benefits.
on the sick and all that I reckon.
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Old Feb 8th 2005, 6:34 pm
  #34  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by Manc
on the sick and all that I reckon.
That sort of thing. One thing that always puzzled me... people on the dole get free precriptions. People on incapacity benefit don't.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 1:25 am
  #35  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by Manc
capital gains / property / council tax is not National insurance.

The only way I think to remain eligible for NHS as an expat is to keep up with the full stamp.
Yeah, that would make sense, but not according to that link...
Quote
Nationality or past or present payments of UK taxes and National Insurance contributions are not taken into consideration when establishing residence. The only thing relevant is whether you ordinarily live in the UK.
Unquote

So, I pay UK income tax on UK rental income, and am paying my NI contributions (voluntary) but I'm not entitled as I'm not living in the UK (which also happens to mean that I'm not using any of the other 'services' that I am paying contributions for). Hardly seems fair, but they're the rules, so got to live with them. On a couple of occasions on trips back, we've had GP/ER visits for the kids (banged heads and ear infections) and for my wife (pregnant and getting some odd twinges), and never seen a bill or a hint of any coming our way. Wonder if that will change when the ID cards come in.....
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 1:34 am
  #36  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
Yeah, that would make sense, but not according to that link...
Quote
Nationality or past or present payments of UK taxes and National Insurance contributions are not taken into consideration when establishing residence. The only thing relevant is whether you ordinarily live in the UK.
Unquote

So, I pay UK income tax on UK rental income, and am paying my NI contributions (voluntary) but I'm not entitled as I'm not living in the UK (which also happens to mean that I'm not using any of the other 'services' that I am paying contributions for). Hardly seems fair, but they're the rules, so got to live with them. On a couple of occasions on trips back, we've had GP/ER visits for the kids (banged heads and ear infections) and for my wife (pregnant and getting some odd twinges), and never seen a bill or a hint of any coming our way. Wonder if that will change when the ID cards come in.....
I think you have it exactly right - unfortunately "technically" you are not entitled to non-emergency GP visits, but as you are probably still registered or have medical records, it is easy enough to see your GP.

Rules are a bit tough. They are what they are unfortunately.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 4:45 am
  #37  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

To answer one question there was a case in the papers concerning OAP's, moved to Spain, not entitled to cover when back on a trip to UK. Can not remember all the details.

I certainly did not bother telling the Surgery I was registered with that I was emmigrating, now they did give me the shots, but I am 99.99999% certain that would not match up.

I seem to remember my Gran telling me a story about her going to see the Doctor, they had trouble finding her papers, well it was 25 years since her last visit. That gives me 24 years before it becomes an issue!.

There is hardly any tax in UK that is hypothecated, NI is just another tax, has nothing to do with any particular benefit. Same way that Road Tax does not pay for the roads.

You would really have to work at it not to get 'free' treatment.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 5:02 am
  #38  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by britchicknyc
I think you have it exactly right - unfortunately "technically" you are not entitled to non-emergency GP visits, but as you are probably still registered or have medical records, it is easy enough to see your GP.

Rules are a bit tough. They are what they are unfortunately.
Not sure how they define emergency vs non-emergency...? If you plan to go there for treatment its not an emergency, but if the need arises while you're there it is? I think on that basis our visits would have been classed as "emergencies" albeit pretty dull ones (in hindsight)- nothing like the drama on Holby City!

The GP that we saw was my mums - I've not lived in the same town for 20 years or so, and moved my records down south when I went, so definitely not on his register. He just didn't seem to care - he had a sick person in his o office so he treated them...
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 5:07 am
  #39  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
he had a sick person in his o office so he treated them...
What a strange idea! Was the doc a Commie or something?
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 5:14 am
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by fatbrit
What a strange idea! Was the doc a Commie or something?

LOL - it was a refreshing change after a couple of years of the organized crime syndicate they call a medical system over here......

Wife had a slight pregnancy hiccup that landed her in ER a couple of months back. All OK, but we're still trying to argue that a 4 hour stay on a trolley in an ER room a misdiagnosed miscarriage and 1 ultrasound shouldn't cost more than the entire pre-natal and birthing package!! Over $1000 on U/S fees, and $1500 for the "room". It'd be laughable if it wasn't coming out of our own pocket....
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 5:56 am
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
LOL - it was a refreshing change after a couple of years of the organized crime syndicate they call a medical system over here......

Wife had a slight pregnancy hiccup that landed her in ER a couple of months back. All OK, but we're still trying to argue that a 4 hour stay on a trolley in an ER room a misdiagnosed miscarriage and 1 ultrasound shouldn't cost more than the entire pre-natal and birthing package!! Over $1000 on U/S fees, and $1500 for the "room". It'd be laughable if it wasn't coming out of our own pocket....
It's sad over here -- I wouldn't mind so much if it were even efficient, but the figures I've seen seem to show Americans pay twice as much for the same level of healthcare as other comparably rich nation. My sympathies for the bill -- just remember that over half of it probably went on the badly paid paper pushers for the overcomplicated system rather than the docs new Porsche. Dunno if the locals will ever wake up. Judging by the present mood of isolationism and unfounded America-is-best mentality, I rather doubt it in the foreseeable future.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 3:05 pm
  #42  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by britchicknyc
I think you have it exactly right - unfortunately "technically" you are not entitled to non-emergency GP visits, but as you are probably still registered or have medical records, it is easy enough to see your GP.

Rules are a bit tough. They are what they are unfortunately.
On a visit last year, when one of my boys was seen at 'our' surgery because of an ear infection, we found that we had inadvertedly become 'de-registered'. We were told that a letter sent to us had been returned marked 'gone away'. Our tenants deny it was them, so I guess it must have been the stupid letting agents.

Now I wonder how easy it would be to re-register...
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 3:08 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by DonnaElvira
Now I wonder how easy it would be to re-register...
My parents lived in Spain and moved back to London last year. The address you give has to be one you live at, not one you just use. They could go as far as to check you're actually there but it you want to risk benefit fraud...
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 3:17 pm
  #44  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by sibsie
My parents lived in Spain and moved back to London last year. The address you give has to be one you live at, not one you just use. They could go as far as to check you're actually there but it you want to risk benefit fraud...
That's a bit off, don't you think? To my mind these rules don't make sense for those us who continue to pay several thousands in tax each year...
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 3:19 pm
  #45  
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Default Re: NHS health cover while visiting UK and Spain, am I covered? Advice please

Originally Posted by DonnaElvira
That's a bit off, don't you think? To my mind these rules don't make sense for those us who continue to pay several thousands in tax each year...
Doesn't matter what you or I think those are the laws. People bitch about the taxes in the Uk, cite them as a reason for leaving but still want to leech the system. And yes, I still pay taxes in England.
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