NHS Charges while visiting the UK
#46
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
I think that many couldn't be bothered to charge, even though they were meant to and it was costing the NHS millions; while other NHS staff were angry at the abuse of the NHS that they saw.
The same when the UK should be billing other EEA countires for their citizens use of the NHS, just as they bill the UK. Until 2013, the UK didn't even have the system to find out which EEAs had to pay!
The Immigration Act 2014 has changed all this. As one doctor said on a forum, now they will lose money if they don't bill as their trust will be fined.
If the relevant NHS trust wants the money to pay for the treatment they give someone who uses a BRP with a valid Immigration Helath Surcharge, then they have to apply for it from the cental pot where all this IHS money is held.
From reading that link I gave from 2015, I think that x-ray would be free as it was treatment received via the A&E department. If you had been admitted to a ward and then x-rayed, then you would have been billed (or should have). I assume that was the same before April 2015?
The same when the UK should be billing other EEA countires for their citizens use of the NHS, just as they bill the UK. Until 2013, the UK didn't even have the system to find out which EEAs had to pay!
The Immigration Act 2014 has changed all this. As one doctor said on a forum, now they will lose money if they don't bill as their trust will be fined.
If the relevant NHS trust wants the money to pay for the treatment they give someone who uses a BRP with a valid Immigration Helath Surcharge, then they have to apply for it from the cental pot where all this IHS money is held.
From reading that link I gave from 2015, I think that x-ray would be free as it was treatment received via the A&E department. If you had been admitted to a ward and then x-rayed, then you would have been billed (or should have). I assume that was the same before April 2015?
The nurse wanted to solve the problem by pretending my injury had occurred later, and that I lived at my UK address. I didn't feel comfortable with that, and made sure that I filled in the forms with the correct information, which didn't make me popular.
It all seemed a right palaver, frankly!
#48
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,618
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
While all the arguments are very valid, the main point is, surely, that the OP VISITED to the UK with her child (who has a medical problem) without any medical insurance (I'm talking about getting a travel policy which included medical cover).
Regardless of whether you know ALL the rules or not of each country and whether the medical staff informs you of ALL the rules, regulations and costs she should have taken out the medical insurance for such a situation.
Her family has lived in the States for a number of years and her child does not have British citizenship.
A telling point of her posting is that had she known she was going to be charged for the overnight stay she would have refused the suggestion of the stay .....
I, too, will be visiting the UK this year - and, even though I lived in the UK for 50 years and paid my taxes, I've taken out travel insurance with medical cover.
Regardless of whether you know ALL the rules or not of each country and whether the medical staff informs you of ALL the rules, regulations and costs she should have taken out the medical insurance for such a situation.
Her family has lived in the States for a number of years and her child does not have British citizenship.
A telling point of her posting is that had she known she was going to be charged for the overnight stay she would have refused the suggestion of the stay .....
I, too, will be visiting the UK this year - and, even though I lived in the UK for 50 years and paid my taxes, I've taken out travel insurance with medical cover.
Last edited by SanDiegogirl; Jul 1st 2015 at 7:25 pm.
#49
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
Just out of interest, can you get medical cover for an existing medical condition, such as sickle-cell anaemia, and how much would it cost?
#50
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
I wonder how easy/expensive it is to get travel insurance covering such a pre-existing condition?
#51
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
You can certainly get travel insurance for pre-existing conditions...not sure about sickle cell. I would say probably...at a price...you can get just about anything for a price!
#52
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
As an aside, it is really stupid that they don't endorse passports "British by descent" or "British other than by descent" on the passport itself now that there are two classes of British citizenship. To save people have to prove things decades later that were already proven decades earlier.
A passport is only a travel document and not definitive proof of someone's citizenship. The passport examiner's notes will state under what particularly section of the law someone is British but given that British nationality law changes so frequently someone who may have once been British could no longer be or vice versa so any assessment based solely on a previous assessment as stated in someone's passport is likely to be flawed anyway particularly if assessing their children's eligibility.
#53
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,618
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
As someone else on this forum said if the OP was vacationing in Canada, South America, anywhere else in Europe would she not have expected to be charged for medical treatment?
#54
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
So you have two things to do
1. Write to the hospital asking them to review the bill with a view to reducing it bearing in mind that only the overnight, not the A+E part should be charged.
2. Get your son a British passport to which he is entitled being your natural son provided you - yourself - are British other than British solely by descent. If you are British born or British naturalised then your son will be (at least) British by descent.
As an aside, it is really stupid that they don't endorse passports "British by descent" or "British other than by descent" on the passport itself now that there are two classes of British citizenship. To save people have to prove things decades later that were already proven decades earlier.
1. Write to the hospital asking them to review the bill with a view to reducing it bearing in mind that only the overnight, not the A+E part should be charged.
2. Get your son a British passport to which he is entitled being your natural son provided you - yourself - are British other than British solely by descent. If you are British born or British naturalised then your son will be (at least) British by descent.
As an aside, it is really stupid that they don't endorse passports "British by descent" or "British other than by descent" on the passport itself now that there are two classes of British citizenship. To save people have to prove things decades later that were already proven decades earlier.
I would have applied for my son to have citizenship over a year ago but the UK have also made this nearly impossible. My son is adopted from Uganda (which is why we adopted him because of his sickle cell) and because he was not adopted under the hague convention, he does not have the right be become a UK Cit. It is very complicated and I have tried every single path possible as well as discussing our options with an immigration lawyer in the UK who also agrees it is near impossible. We could take the matter to court and appeal but run the risk of losing (and money). However, this is irrelevant in regards to being charged by the NHS.
#55
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,618
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
Why did you not have travel insurance (with medical cover) when you visited the UK?
#56
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
Can we please give the OP a break regarding whether or not she had travel/health insurance? I think we can assume she did not...why is irrelevant. Thanks.
#57
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
My son was not admitted by the Dr. He had a sickle cell crisis, his oxygen levels were extremely low and blood levels low also, he had a high fever and was shaking uncontrollably. The staff panicked having little experience with sickle cell and he was seen immediately. The care was good considering and I would hardly think any mother of a child with sickle cell disease has 'no medical background'. More times than not, I am the one informing the Dr's.
#58
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
from my post earlier also
http://britishexpats.com/forum/movin.../#post11688938
#59
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
My son was not admitted by the Dr. He had a sickle cell crisis, his oxygen levels were extremely low and blood levels low also, he had a high fever and was shaking uncontrollably. The staff panicked having little experience with sickle cell and he was seen immediately. The care was good considering and I would hardly think any mother of a child with sickle cell disease has 'no medical background'. More times than not, I am the one informing the Dr's.
#60
Re: NHS Charges while visiting the UK
My son was not admitted by the Dr. He had a sickle cell crisis, his oxygen levels were extremely low and blood levels low also, he had a high fever and was shaking uncontrollably. The staff panicked having little experience with sickle cell and he was seen immediately. The care was good considering and I would hardly think any mother of a child with sickle cell disease has 'no medical background'. More times than not, I am the one informing the Dr's.
While visiting the UK this spring, my son who has sickle cell was admitted into the hospital overnight. I have Brit. cit. but my son who is 3 has american. We discovered afterwards that we were charged with a bill for over a thousand pounds. I guess the laws changed on the 6th April and fees increased by 50%. Had we known we would be charged, I would not have allowed him to stay in especially because I knew he was well enough to go home.
You son was treated & is safe & you put money before his life.... just saying
Last edited by not2old; Jul 1st 2015 at 9:37 pm.