Sally Redux

My practice might be unusual as it serves a lot of international students.

dunroving

TBH, I think a lot of NHS employees are so overworked that asking questions like this is the last thing on their mind.

BritInParis

HMG is looking to avoid situations, and more importantly, headlines like these:

'Now I've had my five babies here, I want to stay', says Nigerian 'health tourism' mother | Daily Mail Online

I highly suspect that if you are in possession of a British accent then nothing will change for you.

Pollyana

I can't find anything saying that either. And the poster does have a few previous posts where others have asked for links suspecting scaremongering....and the links have not appeared.

Formula, quit being obtuse and give us the short sharp link to where emergency treatment in A&E will now be billed, please.

robin1234

I assume I'm not eligible, since I'm not a UK resident. I was in the UK for ten weeks early 2014, and felt disgustingly healthy the whole time because being in England makes me feel happy and contented. I did get a bad right foot injury from walking too much. Even if NHS eligible not sure if I'd have gone to the doctor.

I still have worldwide coverage from my old employer, but this lapses when I get to be 65 later this year. At that point I transition to Medicare, which has no coverage abroad, so I'll either have to get travel insurance when in the UK .... or actually become a resident.

My wife's situation is different in that she's a (UK) pensioner already. Her age group got their OAP at age 60. Also, she has NYS retiree healthcare for life. Here, that will become "secondary" when she is of Medicare age, but I assume it will continue to give her health insurance when abroad.

rebeccajo

The official consultation report on changes to NHS coverage as they relate to the new immigration law mentioned (several times) that policy would be crafted to allow Brits who had paid into the NHS for a certain number of years to still be able to access the service when in the UK. The number of years bandied about in the report was seven. Scaremongerers fail to mention this when discussing NHS access for expats.

dunroving

Those are the changes I was referring to in Post 28, thanks. I think there should be some provision for expats like Robin who have contributed to the system over several years, are receiving state pension, and/or have a substantial ties to the UK, including frequent or lengthy visits.

Pistolpete2

See this:

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...an_Phase_3.PDF

Page 14:

my bolding

"Expatriates

Under current rules, expatriates are normally chargeable for NHS care (or should use EHIC/S2 mechanisms if residing in another EEA country) on the
grounds that they are not ordinarily resident in the UK. However, the Government is considering whether to exempt from charges expatriates who have made significant National Insurance contributions in the past. No final decision on this has been taken."

I am unable to find anything more recent and believe it safe to say there isn't anything meaningful. This is a roll-out plan post consultation which suggests that it is definitive and not just speculation - as in the multiple inflammatory media articles on the issue since mid-2013

Pollyana

Thanks for that

Sally Redux

I guess "Woman who who underwent caesarean delivery of 5 premature babies asks for visa extension until they can travel" wouldn't sell as many papers.

formula

Thanks Pete. I was waiting until I had a break to post that and it seems that eating my lunch is my break today.

Interestingly, even that rules for expats and EU citizens has changed now with the S forms for UK citizens who have retired to other EU countries. In April (not sure if it was 2014 or will be 2015) only UK citizens in receipt of a UK state pension will be able to get all their healthcare paid for by the UK while they are retired in another EEA country.

That means that those that retired early and those who have UK citizenship but haven't lived/lived for long in the UK and contributed at least 10 tax years to get a UK state pension, will now have to buy insurance to cover their healthcare costs if they planned to retire to another another EEA country. For some of course, as you will know, that will just be 1 year to get a state pension if they retired during that tiny window of madness, where it was reduced to just 1 tax year for a state pension and only 30 years for a full pension.

The changes to a UK state pension of only being based on our own contributions (and not their partners or ex spouse) from next year, might affect some too.

All this to done to make sure that contributing to the UK, pays, it seems.

If this party remain in power, I think we will see that change you quoted, brought into the new Immigration Act by using secondary legislation. They have shown they are keen to reward UK citizens who contribute/have contributed, significantly to the UK.

formula

Pete has just answered the last part of your post; that a final decision hasn't been made yet. I assume the next government will decide on that.

For the first part. When we discussed this new immigration law on this board a few months ago, we all saw that this new Immigration law; which took a few years to work into the law; changed the law so that only those who were permanent residents in the UK (UK citizenship and ILR) would retain full use of the NHS, free at the point of delivery.

That law also showed that union (United Kingdom) matters will do things such as set the new NHS levy under secondary legislation, identify who need to pay for their NHS treatment including dental and eyetests; medication; hospital treatment etc at non NHS rates. The union will now collect the billions that other countries owe the various 4 NHS and return that money to that relevant NHS as this new laws gives them the means to now do this; identify those countries citizens so they/their country can be billed; identify others who need to pay before treatment, medication, dentist, eyetest etc at full non-NHS rates.

Each of the 4 countries that make up the UK, can set their charges for those that haven't bought an NHS levy or are not allowed free use of their NHS. NHS England will stop free A&E for all and they intend to do this when the NHS levy is up and running, which is due to start in April. I've seen expected dates given for end of free A&E in England for some, to be 2015/6. Time will tell.

This stance from NHS England won't affect those who reside in England and have UK citizenship/ ILR; a valid NHS levy; are covered in full by their own countries agreement with the UK. It seems that others will pay before they have treatment Those in urgent need of treatment that can't wait until they get home, will be given that treatment but will stilled be charged it seems from the link to the July 2014 gov.uk publication below. New laws already in, mean that NHS bills over 1k have to be paid if they want a visa to enter or remain in the UK. The NHS now share information with UK immigration and Visas.
Only the BBC (*who are often not accurate) but it is a rough guide
BBC News - Migrants to face NHS emergency care charges in England

It's up to the other 3 countries in the union, what their NHS will give to immigrants who have not brought an NHS levy or are not allowed (under the secondary legislation) free use of their NHS.


This publication the government produced last July which they brought out just after the Immigration became law in May 2014, showed us their plans.
https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...an_Phase_3.PDF

It seems that EU law, reciprocal agreements are not mentioned in this new law because it would take a while to change this law if an agreement with their county changes. These citizens will need to check what their country have agreed to refund the NHS for their citizens and check for any changes to that agreement, before they travel. They will now need to pay for any shortfalls not covered by their government.

The same for holders of a UK EHIC holder; it doesn't cover full healthcare treatment in all EU countries and we fund the shortfall ourselves. Which is why UK EHIC holders need you take out insurance when we travel to EEA countries or are residing in an EEA country where we are not working (unless we can have an S form agreement, mentioned in the two posts above).

Sally Redux

So is free A&E treatment ending or not?

I only see "Specific details of how the plans will be implemented are due to be unveiled in March 2014."

Oops I did misread that, assuming it was a new BBC link.

Genuinely lost now, dimwit indeed.

formula

That's why we have GPs at drop in centres within reach, but unlike A&E at present, people will need to pay if they aren't allowed to use the NHS for free.

We have minor injury units in some hospitals. We also have family planning clinics for those that want contraception or treatment for STIs, free treatment for all and will remain so under the new immigration law.

A&E is only for urgent and life threatening treatment.

michali

Interesting document which I have only briefly looked at but I wonder if the changes are to be implemented as soon as April, why the amount of surcharge has not been disclosed as yet and how it will be applied to those persons already here on spousal or dependant visas. Possibly at the point of renewing or extending the visa until such time as ILR is attained?