canuck227

My wife and I both receive small British pensions, we have lived in Canada for many years. We are goping back for a months visit in September, does any one know if we are entitled to any medical coverage whilst there?

NoreenC

I'm now living in Canada and have been since the end of April. As far as I know when I go back for a visit I'm not covered by the NHS. If necessary I would receive emergency treatment but would have to pay for further treatment. I have also been told that after four months of being out of the UK I am no longer entitled to prescriptions, at the reduced costs, on the NHS. I had friends who came to Canada and paid regular visits back to the UK. They had lived here for over twenty years. On one of their return visits the husband was taken ill and had to go into hospital. He received emergency and follow-up treatment but had to pay later on for his follow-up treatment.

Aviator

Unless you have health problems travel policies are quite inexpensive. I have full coverage with my credit card at no additional cost.

Talk to an insurance broker, such as Barton, they can advise you.

fledermaus

We get insurance from CAA when we go back but I think that if you are a pensioner you can get limited NHS cover when in the UK. ie any new conditions or seriously worsening existing conditions.

Insurance however generally covers other expenses such as repatriation or medical help on the journey back to Canada which you may want.

Siouxie

This government website has the information:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/E...able/DH_074373 (general answers)

specifically: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/E...able/DH_074384

Residing more than 3 months a year in a non-EEA country?

If you are a UK state pensioner living more than 3 months of the year outside the UK in a non-EEA country you will be exempt from charges for NHS hospital treatment in England that is needed promptly for a condition that arose after your arrival in the UK (or where, in the opinion of a doctor or dentist employed by the trust, treatment is needed quickly to prevent a pre-existing condition increasing in severity).

You will also need to have lived lawfully in the UK for at least 10 years continuously at some point in the past. This applies whether you spend a few months each year living in a non-EEA country and the rest in the UK or whether you are living there permanently and only return to the UK for short visits. This exemption extends to your spouse/civil partner and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) as long as they are staying in the UK with you on a permanent basis for the period of your visit here. NB – This will also apply if you live in an EEA member state for over six months each year but do not become an “insured” resident there.


Do I have to pay for emergency treatment if I have an accident?

Regardless of residential status or nationality, emergency treatment given at primary care practices (a GP) or in Accident and Emergency departments or a Walk-in Centre providing services similar to those of a hospital Accident and Emergency department is free of charge.


In the case of treatment given in an Accident and Emergency department or Walk-in Centre the automatic exemption from charges will cease to apply once the patient is formally admitted as an in-patient (this will include emergency operations and admittance to High Dependency Units) or registered at an outpatient clinic. If the patient is themselves exempt from charges then charges will not apply after admission either.

also see: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/E...able/DH_074386

Returning to the UK after a period of time living away?

If you go anywhere abroad for more than three months, either for a one-off extended holiday for a few months or to live permanently for several years, but then return to the UK to take up permanent residence here again, then you will be entitled to receive free NHS hospital treatment from the day you return. So will your spouse, civil partner and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) if they are also living with you permanently in the UK again.

Once you are living here permanently you will become ordinarily resident and the Regulations will cease to apply to you. Your spouse, civil partner and child will also be considered ordinarily resident if they are living permanently in the UK with you. If they are not living permanently in the UK then the Regulations will apply and in order to be entitled to free hospital treatment they will have to meet one of the categories of exemption in their own right.

In common with those ordinarily resident in the UK, anyone who is exempt from charges for hospital treatment will have to pay statutory NHS charges, eg prescription charges, unless they also qualify for exemption from these, and will have to go onto waiting lists for treatment where appropriate

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You will need to take a copy of your UK pension documentation with you.

If you need to go to the emergency department....

If I should need hospital treatment what documents will I need?

The Regulations place a responsibility on individual hospitals to determine whether, in accordance with the Regulations, a patient is liable to be charged for treatment or not. In order to establish entitlement, hospitals can ask you to provide documentation that supports your claim to be exempt from charge under whatever category.

It is for you to decide what to supply; however, examples of evidence could include:

proof that you are in receipt of UK state pension, not a private or occupational pension - a pension slip or pink card BR 464 issued by DWP or letter from DWP or appropriate Northern Irish authority;

evidence to support period spent living in UK – e.g., bank details showing withdrawals in EEA and UK, details of travel documents;

proof not registered as resident elsewhere – e.g., confirmation that E121 form has not been activated.

canuck227

Thank you Siouxee for this great information Canuck227