Fair Lady

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.

We plan to move back to the UK in the future and I wondered if anyone knew whether we could make an appeal concerning this fee and have it reimbursed after we move back? Anyone else experienced this or know more about this new law? It seems so unfair that the ones that should not be targeted are and the ones who are taking advantage of the NHS are continuing to get away with it. Even the lady who sent us the bill and explained why we were being charged, could not get her head around it. She tried to do all she could to prevent us from being charged.

It does not matter that my son has NHS number either.

Tirytory

Why is it unfair? Do you currently reside in the UK and pay taxes? Who is it meant to target?

BritInParis

On what would your appeal be based? You have already admitted that your son was a US citizen visiting the UK and received non-emergency NHS treatment. This seems to be a textbook example of exactly what these new rules are meant to stop - health tourism by overseas visitors.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/n...ns-to-nhs-care

Fair Lady

I understand what you are saying. It was an emergency and he was admitted in the ER and had I known I would not have stayed. I just wish that I would have been informed at the time so that I could have decided.

Tirytory

The onus is on you to find this information out when you make a trip as a visitor to a country.

not2old

good point, you weren't informed, nor [I suppose] did anyone ask if you were Brits, Brit residents, have a UK address or telephone number, even an NHS number?

Although, a child with an American accent likely would trigger the question by the NHS staff... just saying.

The fact that your son was treated is the most important thing - the money issue is secondary.

Did you have travel insurance?

What do you think would have happened had you been visiting Canada & your child was taken to emergency, same situation - in a foreign country, charges apply, claim back the care given on your insurance.

Did you expect the treatment in the UK would be free, if so, why?
.

Jerseygirl

Our U.S. healthcare insurance covers us for emergency treatment overseas. Worth checking if you have US healthcare insurance.

Edit: I have moved your thread into the General UK forum.

jjmb

Its says in that linking document that 'Treatment in A&E departments and at GP surgeries will remain free for all' I would assume that the reason he was kept in over night was because it was deemed an emergency. As the rules are new, there will be no harm in appealing as I am sure they are working out the rules themselves.

Must admit, I always take medical health insurance with me as I would not expect a system to cover me if I am not paying into it, although recently I found out that for emergencies, my US insurance would cover me. Maybe that is an option for you.

Isn't your son a British citizen through you? When you come back to the UK once you have established residency, you will get health care with no problems. My Dad recently returned from France after living there for 13 yrs and had no problems registering with a local doctor. He just had to prove his address and provide the name of his regular doctor in France.

Jerseygirl

2 years ago when I was visiting Canada I was taken to the ER. Spent 5 days in hospital...we had to settle the $30K bill before I was discharged. Fortunately our U.S. Healthcare insurance re-imbursed us.

BritInParis

Your son would not have been charged for any emergency treatment received at an A&E. It seems that you decided that he should stay overnight in hospital when it was not necessary at which point his care was no longer free. If you have travel or health insurance cover it would be worth investigating if you are covered in this scenario.

SanDiegogirl

Did you not have travel/medical insurance to cover such emergencies?

formula

You being billed has nothing to do with the April 2015 changes to who now has to pay to use the NHS. Visitors to the UK, including British citizens who reside outside the EU, have never been allowed to use the NHS for free.

Only the patch up type treatment on the A&E ward was given for free and anything else (the expensive stuff) you had to pay for, which in your case was your son's stay on a ward and any other treatment he needed.

I didn't think they have brought this 'adding 50% to the bill' in yet?


Part of the new law that started from 6 April, was to ensure that those who have to pay for their use of the NHS, are billed. The hospital would now be fined if they didn't bill you for your son's healthcare. When the '50% added to the bill' comes in, the hospital will be able to keep all that money.


Everyone who is treated by the NHS gets their own unique number. Having an NHS number doesn't mean that person can use the NHS for free. Some people work in the UK, pay taxes and have an NHS number, but they have to buy health insurance to pay the NHS bills for all their family.

Editha

You (the OP) have my sympathy. With the current system, knowing when you are going to be charged and when not seems to be as confusing for NHS staff as it is for patients.

During the eight years I was in Canada I made frequent visits to the UK, including extended stays to look after my mother. Whenever I had to use NHS services for myself there was confusion about what I paid for and what I didn't. Over the 8 years I was charged by my GP for a consultation (probably should not have been), wasn't charged for a non-urgent x-ray (probably should have been) etc.

You were entitled to free emergency treatment, and I think you were entitled to assume that the overnight stay was included in that. If you were going to be charged, you should have been warned in advance. I think that would be grounds for appeal.

An afterthought: £1,000 also seems very steep for overnight care, since the emergency part of his treatment should have been free.

mikelincs

It's extremely simple, if you are not a UK RESIDENT then you are not entitled to free NHS care, I suspect that people in the US and Canada would think that £1000 was really quite cheap for an overnight stay, it would include the nursing, food, visits by a doctor, any medication given while on the ward including IV fluids etc.

If you didn't have travel insurance that the cost is down to you and you are lucky it was a little as it was, a warning to everyone visiting the UK from another country, citizen or not, is to ensure that you have adequate insurance cover. The NHS haas been lax for many years in NOT charging when they should have been, and now they have decided to enforce the rules, people are getting upset, really they have been getting away with it for too long, that wouldn't happen in most other countries, but they do not have a free system for residents.

Fair Lady

Thank you for being more understanding than the other posters.