The current government proposal is not to remove ex-pats entitlement to NHS care but to extend it. Currently ex-pats lose their entitlement until they become ordinarily resident in the UK again. The government is considering an extension of ex-pats' right to NHS care to anyone who has paid more than 7 years NI contributions. Personally, I don't see the logic of that since the NHS is funded from general taxation, not NI contributions, but it is to be found in the policy document issued after the consultation last year.

What I find a bit baffling about this forum discussion, and one or two others there have been, is an assumption that right to NHS care is going to be further restricted for ex-pats, even though none of the three main parties are proposing that it should be.

I've had to spend a lot of time in the UK in the last few years looking after my elderly mum, keeping her out of a hospital bed, and avoiding the need for social services assistance. While over there, on several occasions I've had to pay for routine health care, because I'm not 'ordinarily resident' and yet, because it wasn't an emergency it wasn't covered by my insurance policy.

I can see the logic of charging non-resident Brits, but I still found it galling. I would be absolutely outraged if, on return to the UK, I was then charged a levy for three months, or three years.

Several contributors to this thread seem to me to be like turkeys volunteering for Xmas.

I personally wouldn't be galled by having to pay for routine care while non-resident. It makes sense if the system is based on residency.

A proposed levy of £200 a year would be very much less than I pay in the US.

No she is not! She does not come from a country who has so much "benefits" and people taking the "p...". I also come from a country where we had to pay for services or wait in line in government hospitals getting second class service. I think a lot of British people do not see how precious the system really is and it is in trouble now! A lot of people including my OH's daughter really abuse it by going up to see their GP at a drop of a hat. Her daughter fell off a slide and said her hand was sore and she rushed her to the A&E! In my country and my day, mum would have strapped it up and dried my tears and waited a week to see if it was still sore!! In the 50's when it was set up it was a wonderful institution and the people needed it. There was such a difference then between the "haves" and "have nots" but not anymore and people are abusing the system. I do agree with the principle but principles get lost over the years and people will abuse anything for their own gain!

Yeah, but.........if you are resident then it can well be assumed you are contributing through general taxation. Unless of course you ain't buyin' nuthin'. If you are working then National Insurance is also being collected.

So it's true £200 per year would be less than you are paying in the US. But even in the US, you only pay ONE insurance premium to obtain coverage. A levy in the UK for residents is double-dipping.

So sorry you have had such a terrible experience at the hands of an ex. However don't feel that you cannot get something you have not necessarily paid for. It is like insurance, some pay and never claim because thank goodness they don't have to but it lets them sleep at night and others claim because they have to and no one begrudges them that! You pay your taxes and are resident there and you will be as entitled to it as any other British subject. Besides you will be married to a Brit and taking care of him too! (not that I mean you are a carer lol)

I'm not sure about this myself - does some general taxation go towards health provision in the US (county hospitals, veterans...)? Don't get me wrong, I'd rather not pay, but we do have a really strong sense of entitlement going on over there, people really don't understand what a fab deal they're getting.

I think the concept of county and city hospitals is from a by-gone era. I know of none.

Medicaid in the US is funded by the states with a hefty supplement from the federal government (the percentage is different in each stage based upon need and NOW under the ACA the percentage is tied to that particular states participation in the healthcare exchanges). Of course, not everyone qualifies for Medicaid. The ACA has enabled a lot more people to becovered through Medicaid expansion (in the participating states), but the rest of the population still needs to get cover through work OR through the exchanges.

Medicare is paid for via payroll deduction through ones working years with everyone's funds being placed into a mammoth trust. The portion of a paycheck that is deducted for Medicare is 1.2 percent.

Interesting. I thought my husband was doing some research with a county hospital but will have to check.

Well, in all fairness, it's going to be different from state to state. There aren't any around here but they could still exist elsewhere. So - me bad.

Agreed. I'd be very surprised if a levy on returning citizens would stand legal challenge.

I've probably got it all wrong. I freely admit I'm not knowledgeable about the system here!

I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to let people in the UK somehow know what their treatment is costing, even though they didn't have to pay anything.

I'd better clear something up before I get called a turkey (sorry Edith a)

I'm not a BC so I won't be returning as an ex-pat. I'm Australian, have lived here all my life. I would be wild as hell if Scouse couldn't access the NHS immediately on return.

Hahahaa about the wine tax, I'll certainly contribute there!

Thanks FB

NHS is funded from general taxation. Everyone pays taxes - even the street bum when he buys his bottle of cheap wine !

Musing on this, as you do late at night, I think I was right with my initial hesitancy to join in the MBTTUK forum. As I said on the 'over 40s' thread, I'm a bit of an interloper in that I'm not 'moving back', I'm just moving.

Any issues/thoughts/questions I have are going to be different to those of British citizens moving back, and my thoughts on accessing the NHS are an example of this.

I think you were a bit harsh with your descriptions of me Editha, but again that's probably just a consequence of me being the proverbial square peg. So I'll scuttle back in me box, and hope that my preciousness, perverseness and silliness will nick off before I emigrate - otherwise I might have a hard time of it.